The Darkest Soul of Light
by Rondabunny
Summary: Set after season 2. Melancholy, emptiness, loneliness, how else she could describe the reality of living in an abandoned house, abandoned by her friends, by her God, even by the darkest spirits that haunted her at night and daylight. Nobody to love, nobody to lose and nothing to strive for.
1. Chapter 1

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 1**

Melancholy, emptiness, loneliness, how else she could describe the reality of living in an abandoned house, abandoned by her friends, by her God, even by the darkest spirits that haunted her at night and daylight. Nobody to love, nobody to lose and nothing to strive for. Vanessa was crawling from one day into the other without purpose, without a slightest idea why it was so painful not for the body. The body went through a lot of things and wasn't afraid of pain but her soul was aching and day after day the pain became more and more unbearable, more and more exhausting. She wanted to die, though, was afraid to commit a suicide. The little that still remained of her shattered soul was failing her.

Nevertheless, Vanessa made a titanic effort to get out of the bed. The delivery man from the nearest groceries started to cheat. One day she couldn't find a loaf of bread in the basket that was left near the back door, the other day a bottle of milk was gone. Sometimes vegetables and fruit were missing. The woman was sick of it, of every filthy shop keeper to cheat on her. So, now Vanessa wanted revenge.

She stealthily walked to the back door, took a deep breath and opened it as unexpectedly as she could, prepared to have a venomous argument with the deliverer. Instead, to her own surprise as Vanessa didn't realize she was able to do it in her state, she grabbed the hand of child and pulled the girl inside locking the door. The pull was so harsh that the poor girl dropped the bottle of milk on the threshold that immediately shattered into pieces. The scared girl tried to twist her own arm out of Vanessa's grip but the woman was holding her in such a way that it was even painful. The child pulled aside without any result as the woman was much stronger. That's why the girl didn't have any other idea than to bite woman's hand that made the latter unclasp her fingers. The girl cried in terror, pushed the woman and ran up the stairs followed by a very fast, furious and unpredictable predator. She managed to reach the top, unfortunately, felt the strong female fist on her ankle pulling her down. The child shrieked in horror.

" _Please, don't eat me! Please, please, don't eat me!"_

She tried to cover her head with tiny hands as Vanessa was mounting above her and suddenly started to chant in Latin.

" _Domine Iesu, dimitte nobis debita nostra, salva nos ab igne inferiori, perduc in caelum omnes animas, praesertim eas, quae misericordiae tuae maxime indigent."_

Being taken aback Vanessa stopped breathing heavily, looking in disbelief at the pale, scared to death girl. The child was crying whispering the holy psalms as if she saw an evil spirit.

" _Hey, who do you think I am?"_ asked the woman still trying to control her breath.

" _An evil spirit living in this house,"_ mumbled the girl sitting on the step and wrapping her arms around knees to protect herself.

" _What?!"_ Vanessa laughed. She laughed and laughed causing the child to fear her even more.

" _Do I really look so awful that you took me for a ghost?"_ She finally asked after giving a good hearty laugh. _"What's your name, child?"_

" _F-F-F-Florence,"_ came a shy shaky reply.

" _Vanessa Ives, an inhabitant of this house."_ Vanessa extended her hand for a shake. The girl gripped tighter her knees. _"Hey, I don't eat children for breakfast. I prefer bread and cheese. Milk would also be quite good. Unfortunately, because of a little thief here, I won't have a pleasure to drink milk today."_ She said playfully looking at a totally shocked girl.

" _I'm sorry,"_ sobbed the little intruder.

" _You've been stealing from me for two weeks already,"_ the woman stated as a matter of fact, _"come on, or somebody else will take our breakfast. The basket is still outside and I'm hungry."_ She again stretched her hand but the girl didn't take it, she stood up, though, suspiciously staring at a strange, tall, slim woman.

Vanessa opened the back door, grabbed the basket and came back into the room. The child followed her into the kitchen and stopped ready to run. The kitchen as the whole house was a sore sight, dust and dirt everywhere, cockroaches, centipedes and spiders running to and fro among dirty plates and cutlery. Long, tiny but visibly seen cobwebs were stretching from the ceiling to all the corners of the room. The woman in sweaty, filthy, dark underdress was standing in this mess. The woman that sent the poor child in a total stupor was offering to share a meal with her.

" _Let's see, what do we have here? Some fresh vegetables, tinned meat, some cheese, bread and butter, the last but not the least a jar of jam!"_ Vanessa exclaimed putting food on the table. _"What do you fancy?"_

" _I'd rather go, Ma'am."_ Florence replied clutching the skirt of her worn-out, short dress.

" _No, you won't go anywhere until you keep me company,"_ Vanessa made an invitating gesture. _"What about some bread and cheese?"_

" _I'd rather eat it with jam if you don't mind,"_ the girl shyly approached the dirty, dusty table.

" _Not a fan of cheese I suppose,"_ Vanessa pushed aside dirty dishes and sat at the table inviting the girl to do the same. _"So, Florence, how old are you?"_ The woman enquired cutting bread with a sufficiently clean knife.

" _Turned nine the previous month,"_ said the girl licking some jam from the spoon Vanessa gave her.

" _Mom and dad?"_

" _Mom died. Dad's gambling and drinking."_

" _It is regrettable to witness,"_ the woman commented taking a bite of bread with butter. _"How long have you been roaming the streets?"_

" _Since spring."_

They ate in silence for a while.

" _What happened here?"_ asked Florence referring to the mess.

" _I happened here."_ Vanessa chuckled absorbing the surroundings.

" _I can wash all the dishes if you give me that tinned meat in return,"_ suggested Florence.

" _Now I'm not so scary as before, am I?"_ The woman squint her eyes.

The child stopped short trying to understand what this strange woman wanted from her.

" _Let's do it this way, I'll give you some money to buy milk and some other food and then I prepare a really good lunch."_

" _What makes you think that I won't disappear with your money?"_ the girl exchanged a question for a question.

" _Will you?"_

Again the room withdrew into silence.

" _Nobody is going to sell me anything even if you give me the money,"_ came a stubborn reply.

" _At least give it a try."_

While Florence was away, Vanessa washed herself in cold water. It made her shiver a bit at first, anyway, she combed her greasy hair and tied a kerchief around her head. The woman who has been full of apathy and misery for months, in an hour turned into not exactly the same but her usual state. She lit the stove, put some buckets of water on it, took out all the dirty dishes from the sink waiting for the child.

" _What took you so long?"_ she opened the door and took the basket from the girl. It felt heavy in her hand.

" _I haven't bought pastry. The shop keeper chased me away, said I'm a witch,"_ Florence half stated half apologized.

" _Then we won't buy from him anymore,"_ Vanessa smiled at the confused girl.

" _May I take my tinned meat, please?"_

" _I thought you said you would be eager to wash up that pile of dishes over there,"_ the woman pointed at a huge amount of various China and cutlery.

" _Yes, sure,"_ she took off her poor coat, put it on the nearest chair and went to the sink.

" _There is hot water in the bucket."_

The kitchen slightly changed while Florence was away. A heavy shawl of cobwebs was gone, the table, window, shelves and the cupboard were clean. The floor was still dirty and sticky but the dust was swept away.

Vanessa started peeling vegetables for their stew taking a thorough examination of the girl from the place where she was sitting. Florence was a very thin, subtle child with rather long arms. Her stooped posture and birdy shoulders gave her even more miserable look. She had a quite attractive face with pale freckled cheeks, small plump lips, straight nose and dark brown eyes. The latter weren't as smoky magnetic as Vanessa's and even not half as big, but they streamed not really childish seriousness and were velvety charming with those long lashes. Girl's hair wasn't too long. It fell over her shoulders in a messy, brown mop of natural curls and wasn't as shiny as it used to be. Florence sometimes scratched her head that made Vanessa think that maybe this girl needs more than a bath, maybe it would be better to cut off those locks.

" _Where did you learn Latin?"_ the woman asked continuing peeling vegetables.

" _I read a lot,"_ the girl answered shortly.

" _Not many nine year olds speak Latin, not many can even read at this age. Did your father go bankrupt?"_

" _No, my mom worked as a servant in a big house. The owners had a lot of books and let me read them."_

" _But Latin and your manners? Did you study together with their children?"_ Girl's speech was far from the speech of any nine year old Vanessa could recall. It seemed that she was talking to a teenage not to child.

" _My memory's strange. If I read something, I can cite it word for word. It doesn't matter which language or how hard the information is, I just remember it."_

" _That's amazing!"_

" _Maybe, yes, I suppose,"_ Florence sighed brushing away some messy locks from the forehead.

" _Would you like to be my servant? 10 shillings a week rather decent but fair as you can't do a lot, food and shelter included."_

" _It's a bad idea."_

" _Why so?"_

" _I can be extremely clumsy sometimes."_

" _I'll deduct all the damage from your payment,"_ Vanessa came up with a quick answer.

" _I don't think my payment will cover it,"_ answered Florence putting a clean pan aside.

" _So, it's a 'No'?"_

" _I didn't say that."_

" _Alright then, you'll be living upstairs. The room is not far from mine it is smaller but it has everything necessary. Your duty is to wash up, sweep the floors and tidy up the house. You'll also do the shopping and take clothes to the laundry. I'll do the cooking,"_ Vanessa explained the duties.

" _That's fair. Can I lock myself in the room from time to time or go away for a while?"_ The child turned to look at the woman.

" _Why?"_

" _If I tell you, you won't give me the job."_

" _Try me."_

Florence took a deep breath, stopped washing-up and stared at the floor.

" _Epilepsy, I have seizures and can't control my body sometimes,"_ she confessed.

" _I know the notion of the word 'epilepsy'. You are hired Miss Florence. What is your surname by the way?"_

" _Florence Welch, Ma'am,"_ the child dropped a clumsy curtsey.

" _Welcome to this mansion, Miss Welch!"_

" _Thank you, Ma'am."_

" _The name is Vanessa Ives."_

" _I remember, Miss Ives."_

The girl turned back to the sink full of dirty dishes and continued her work.

" _Would you mind if I eat from metal plates and in my room?"_ the child asked looking suspiciously at the fine Chinese porcelain plate with the stew that Miss Ives has just cooked.

" _We don't eat from metal tureens. You've already washed all of the china, nothing happened what are you afraid of?"_

" _I can't control the seizures. There are times when I know but mostly I don't. It's not a pleasant view to look at,"_ the girl confessed.

" _Don't worry, I have a vivid imagination and my word is "No". If you are going to live in this house, you have to obey some rules. I won't give you the key of your room, you won't lock yourself up in any other room, you won't go anywhere without my permission and you eat from the same plates I eat either porcelain, clay or silver, it doesn't matter. And you need a bath. If you don't agree, you may go."_ Vanessa concluded.

The girl kept silent. She took a spoon and began eating a delicious stew. Vanessa smiled and also took a spoon in her hand.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	2. Chapter 2

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 2**

Their lunch was over. They didn't talk much as Florence appeared to be not a very chatty girl. She answered politely in one or two words the questions Vanessa asked but that was all. She didn't reveal anything interesting. Miss Ives let the child do the dishes while she went to her room, put on an appropriate dress to go out and quickly made up her long black hair without fussing too much about it.

" _I'm going out. While I'm away I want you to have a bath. The water is already warm,"_ she approached the two buckets that were heating on the stove. _"I carry them to the bathroom, there is cold water in the basin."_

The girl obediently followed the woman.

" _Here's a scoop. I'll poor these buckets in the bath-tube. It'll be warm not very hot. A spare bucket with hot water is near here, so try to be careful when having a wash use the scoop. Here is a bar of soap and a washcloth. The towel is over there. This is a shirt of my pajamas, fold up the sleeves and it will suit you. After you take off your clothes, please, put them into this sack and get it outside. I'll buy something more decent. Now, come closer I need to take some measurements."_

The child hesitantly approached. Miss Ives put her stretched thumb and index finger on girl's shoulder and slowly went down the slim arm until the wrist. She did the same with girl's shoulders and neck, then with her legs. After that she put her palm on Florence's head and approximately measured girl's height according to her own body.

" _Fine, now the bath, please, wash thoroughly. I don't like stinky little girls,"_ she winked at the girl and left the room.

A few hours later Vanessa came back with cartons, boxes and packages. She was worried when she called Florence but the girl didn't respond. Quickly she ran upstairs to the bathroom, her heart pulsating somewhere deep in her brain while she slowly pushed the door open.

" _Why are you still here?"_

The girl was standing on the chair in an enormously large shirt and Vanessa's apron washing the window. She nearly fell from the chair by this unexpected intrusion.

" _I'm doing my work,"_ was the reply.

" _Sure, I have a very hard-working servant. Could you, please, step down for a minute? I have something for you."_

" _You are very kind, Miss Ives,"_ the child pronounced standing back on the floor.

They went to the kitchen as it was the cleanest room in the house where Miss Ives made the girl to open everything she bought. There was a pair of black shoes, a simple green dress with some little black flowers on it, two pairs of stockings, undergarments, a nightgown and a pair of tiny comfortable slippers as well as a violet coat, two skirts of different colors, a blue blouse and a scarf.

" _That's too many,"_ said the child in astonishment.

" _You'll try everything on later. Right now I would like to check your head, Miss Welch."_

" _With a view to lice, I recon?"_ The girl looked at the woman. _"There is no need for that. I have them, in my clothes and on my head. I washed the whole bathroom because of it. But what's the purpose if I'm a carrier. It wasn't wise to let me in your bathroom, Miss Ives."_

" _An old head on young shoulders,"_ said Vanessa, _"Let's deal with the problem, shall we? I bought some medicine to get rid of them and also a magic remedy that kills every insect in the house. I'll wash the bathroom with it later, but now we'll go back and treat your head."_

" _May you take off the shirt and bend over this basin?"_ Vanessa asked pouring some stinky liquid into the basin.

" _Is it really necessary? I can wash my hair without stripping down,"_ retorted the child.

" _Oh, a little modest girl, are you hiding anything I hadn't seen before, Miss Welch? Is there a tail under this shirt or maybe I find some beautiful angel wings under it? What's your darkest secret, child?"_ Vanessa stepped closer to the girl making her feel uncomfortable. _"There is nothing amazing under it,"_ the girl clutched her shirt as if Vanessa was going to rip it.

" _If there is nothing to hide, Miss Welch, people reveal who they are. So, please, do me a favour."_

The child frowned but took off the shirt. There wasn't really anything to be surprised by. A skinny little girl was shivering in front of a fully dressed woman with a phial of some stinky liquid in her hand. There wasn't much to look at except for scratches and bruises that seemed the whole body was covered in. Florence modestly hid her pubis behind small palms but Vanessa couldn't turn her gaze of the child's sore body. Arms, legs, back and ribs all in bluish and black marks of different form and size, grazed knees and elbows, blisters on every single toe exposed to the woman's view, some of them healing some of them red and swollen. Vanessa was shocked. She could recall herself having bruises all over her body after her devilish side was happy to torture her but this was a small child not a demonically possessed woman.

" _Florence, how on earth did you get all of these?"_

" _Some from the disease, others from the people in the street,"_ confessed the girl.

" _We'll treat these bruises later. Come closer to the basin."_

Vanessa asked the girl to bend over the chair where the basin was. She carefully pulled girl's hair forward on her face and down into the water. She poured water mixed with a stinky medicine on child's head massaging slightly to make the water get into the pores. Suddenly Florence's fingers gripped the edge of the basin and shook it heavily as if trying not to fall down. Then child's body started to shake uncontrollably. Vanessa only had a moment to balance the basin and unclasp very strong fingers curled on the edge of it. At the same time she caught the girl in her arms in order not to hit her head on the tiled floor. Florence convulsed for several minutes hitting her feet on the floor and bending her arms in such angles that nobody had ever seen before. Vanessa had to sit on the floor to press the girl closer to her body to prevent Florence from hurting herself. Girl's head threw back and eyes started to roll up. She clenched jaws tightly and began suffocating. Vanessa tried hard to part them because the girl was swallowing her tongue. It was impossible to do. She noticed a hairpin made of ivory. She probably forgot it on the edge of the bath-tube some time ago. Preventing the girl from hitting her head on the floor Vanessa with the tips of her fingers reached the pin and finally managed to open girl's mouth with its help. The convulsions faded away. Florence naked body became numb and unconscious in woman's arms.

" _It was ugly, right?"_ sounded a small voice from the cushions which Vanessa protectively placed everywhere so that the child's body sank in them.

" _If I say it was a piece of cake, I'll be an unmitigated liar,"_ Vanessa sat upright in her armchair where she was pretending to read because during two hours she was staring blankly at pages her thoughts floating far away from the fictional novel she randomly took from the shelf in the library.

" _I'm sorry that I scared you and thank you for your help, Miss Ives,"_ Florence pronounced harshly.

" _Want some water?"_

" _I can take it myself, thank you."_ The girl made an attempt to sit upright but the woman stopped her.

" _Lie down! Right now you're weaker than a kitten."_ Vanessa poured some water into the glass and gave it to the girl.

" _How do you know?"_ She asked taking the glass and sipping from it.

" _I also suffer from seizures they have other nature, though. If you see me in this state, you'd better run."_

" _For how long should I stink of this medicine?"_

" _At least three days I'm afraid,"_ the woman explained.

" _It's digusting."_ Florence scratched her head that was wrapped in a kerchief. Only now she notices that she was in a nightgown, under the blanket surrounded with pillows in a nice, warm bed. _"Is this my room?"_

" _Yes, it is. I didn't manage to uncover all the furniture and it's rather dusty in here. I didn't want to wake you up. We can do it tomorrow, when you feel better."_

" _Thank you, Miss Ives, for being so merciful. I haven't met such a person since Mr. De Lynd's death. I was six that time."_

" _When we met today you were citing Oratio Fatimaie, the Prayer of the Rosary. Do you believe in the divine intent, Miss Welch?"_ Vanessa looked seriously at the child.

" _I believe in God's providence, each day is a miracle, people just need to see it."_

" _What about 'non furtum facies'?"_ (Thou shalt not steal)

" _O altitudo divitiarum sapientiae et scientiae Dei quam inconprehensibilia sunt iudicia eius et investigabiles viae eius,"_ replied Florence. (How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!)

" _Oh, you're also a philosopher,"_ the woman smiled. _"How about some warm tinned meat with vegetables and a piece of cream-cake with a cup of hot tea?"_

" _Sounds as a miracle but won't be good enough if I don't help."_ With these words Florence put aside some pillows and slowly got out of the bed.

" _I'm not so sure about that."_ Miss Ives looked at the child skeptically weighing the pros and cons.

" _You hired me to serve you not vice versa. I already feel much better."_ She stood barefoot on the dusty floor. Her feet immediately became dirty again, nevertheless, the girl slowly but happily went out of the room followed by Vanessa's hawk-eye.

That night Miss Ives went to bed with some hope. Her life, which had no sense this morning, again was full with emotions until she fell asleep.

It was a dark night and somebody called her outside. The woman in a nightgown was going down the empty street of London. A single slightly lit gas lantern illuminated thick darkness around her. Under the lantern Vanessa saw a silhouette of a man without clothes. She couldn't say anything about his face because she could see only shiny, white silhouette calling for her, asking her to follow. Vanessa accepted the invitation. Now they were going together along the dirty and bloody street. She saw bodies of men and women stripped from their skin or tortured to death. All of them were silent, nobody moved. Only her nightgown fluttered in the wind. Her breath left curls of steam in the air, she felt chill coming down her spine and wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm. The woman marched closely to the man, who was still going in front of her. Suddenly he stopped and turned around so abruptly that Vanessa nearly ran into him. His mesmerizingly beautiful, sparkling white skin absolutely contrasted with his black hollow eyes. He opened his mouth as a hole to the emptiness, no teeth, no tongue, nothing but blackness and the voice not better than a hiss of a snake.

" _I'm coming, my bride. Forget about everyone whom you have ever loved because you meant to be mine and only. All your friends will be dead when we get married for the eternity."_

His gap-shaped mouth approached for a kiss and Vanessa woke up.

It was the dusk of the dawn outside. The outline of big objects could already be deciphered in the room. The woman was lying in the bed covered into a ball weeping uncontrollably. Her nightmares came back again.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	3. Chapter 3

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 3**

The child woke up early together with the roosters if those were plenty in London. She put on her slippers that Miss Ives insisted on because the floors in the house were still under a layer of ancient dust. Florence washed her face and hands not removing the kerchief from her head. She put on a grey skirt and a blue blouse, a pair of stocking because air was already too fresh in this time of the year and went downstairs. She was sure that the woman would sleep until 10 o'clock as she never appeared earlier than 11 o'clock outside to take the delivery from groceries. That's why, the girl was finishing frying pancakes around this time when somebody knocked on the back door.

" _My dear Miss Ives, I know you're there,"_ a male voice pronounced with a strong French accent.

The girl froze listening silently to the banging at the door. The man didn't go away and didn't stop talking to the imaginary Miss Ives who, as he thought, was hiding in the kitchen. Florence's curiosity prevailed over her fear of strangers. She took off the dirty apron she was wearing all the time when she was tidying up the living room and cooking the breakfast. The girl took the frying pan with the last pancake from the stove and put it on the kitchen table.

" _Good morning, Sir. How can I help you?"_ she asked a small rather overweight man with a funny beard and mustache.

" _Good morning, Miss…"_ He didn't know the name and hesitated to ask.

" _Florence Welch, Sir,"_ she curtseyed.

" _Ferdinand Lyle, nice to meet you,"_ the man presented himself.

" _How do you do, Mr. Lyle."_ She shook man's extended hand instead of giving him the opportunity to kiss hers.

" _Is Miss Ives still living in this house?"_

" _Yes, of course. I'm a housemaid. She hired me yesterday. Come in, please. If you make yourself comfortable in the living room, I would announce Miss Ives about you arrival, Mr. Lyle. Please, follow me."_ With dignity of an old lady Florence led an absolutely astonished Mr. Lyle into the living room that was already clean in comparison to the hall and the stairs which the girl hasn't washed yet.

" _The smell is delicious!"_ The man commented while going through the kitchen.

" _Vanilla pancakes for Miss Ives's breakfast. It would be wonderful if you could stay and share it with her,"_ the girl invited.

" _I would be delighted."_

" _Could you, please, wait for a moment?"_ with these words Florence in a childlike manner ran to the chair in the living room and carried it to the clothes tree. _"May I have your coat, Sir?"_

Mr. Lyle chuckled but gave his coat to the girl, who climbed on the chair leaving her slippers on the floor and hanged the man's coat on the hook.

" _Make yourself comfortable, Mr. Lyle."_

Florence went upstairs, cautiously knocked on the door of Miss Ives's room but nobody answered. She knocked again and again and again.

" _Stop it!"_ the door flew open, so, the child had to make a step back to face the furious woman.

" _I'm sorry, Miss Ives. There is a gentleman in the living room, Mr. Lyle. He insisted on seeing you,"_ the girl whispered everything in one long sentence as quickly as possible.

" _Tell him to disappear, I don't receive guests lately!"_ Vanessa hissed.

" _That is what happened to all of your friends? You told them to go away. Excuse me, Miss Ives, I don't want this last friend that you still have to leave you without saying 'Good bye'! You may pity yourself as you wish, but, please, in ten minutes I want you to be in the living room with combed hair and washed face or I ask him to go upstairs to see you in all your glory!"_ the girl snapped back looking Vanessa right in her blue eyes.

" _Don't talk me like that, child!"_

" _Or you do what, scold me, beat me? Mr. Lyle is waiting for you, Miss Ives. You can carry out your threats later."_ Florence turned away and strolled down the corridor.

The girl entered the living room with a tea-tray and placed everything on the table.

" _Miss Ives will come in a few minutes. She likes to lie-in in the morning,"_ the child said putting a tea cup in front of the man and pouring some tea in it. _"I'll bring pancakes at once. Unfortunately, due to my age can't carry everything at the same time."_

" _No worries, Miss Welch. Everything's perfect."_

" _Thank you, Sir. I'll be in a minute."_

When Florence came back Vanessa was already chatting with Mr. Lyle. The woman combed her hair and washed her face but remained in her oriental robe. The girl served breakfast.

" _Bon appetit, monsieur! Bon appetit, mademoisselle."_ The child bowed and was ready to leave when Mr. Lyle spoke in surprise.

" _Vous parlez francais, ma cherie."_ (You speak French, my darling.)

" _Un ecrivain a dit que_ _la langue française, d'ailleurs, est une eau pure que les écrivains maniérés n'ont jamais pu et ne pourront jamais troubler,"_ she quoted Guy de Maupassant. (One writer said that the French language is like pure water that no writer can ever disturb.)

" _C'est formidable!"_ answered an astonished guest. (This is amazing!)

" _Merci, monseiur!"_ Florence quickly went out. (Thank you, Sir!)

" _French language, Russian pancakes. Where did you find this girl? My suggestion is, she should be at least a witch."_ The man addressed to Miss Ives sipping some tea from his cup.

" _I strongly doubt that. When she saw me yesterday she started chanting prayers and I also caught her praying in her room previous evening. Otherwise, I would have to get rid of her in a very violent way."_ The woman said seriously but the wrinkles on the edges of her eyes spoke about a playful mood she was in.

" _How did you meet her?"_

" _By chance, I caught her yesterday on stealing my food from groceries."_

" _So, she's a vagabond?"_ The man couldn't hide his surprise.

" _Yes, unusual don't you think?"_ asked Vanessa putting some jam on the pancake.

" _I haven't seen any child like this before. What is the probability of randomly meeting such a person, one in a million?"_

" _I don't know, but she seems to be a good servant. So, I think I'll keep her for now."_ The woman said nonchalantly. _"What's the purpose of this unexpected visit?"_

" _Oh, I came to say that I'm leaving for Cairo. Couldn't leave without saying 'good bye' to an old friend and also wanted to recommend you a mental doctor of a sort, you know, to get you out from the world of spiders and flies to a social community. As I see right now, though, your encounter with that little girl yields fruit and there would be no need for the one who helped me. In case you still want to ask for a piece of advice someone a bit wiser than a child, I leave a visit card of the woman who helped me a lot in the days of melancholy and misery."_ The man gave the card of the doctor.

" _Thank you, Mr. Lyle. It was very thoughtful of you. Some more tea?"_ The woman took the card and continued their conversation.

After all pancakes were eaten and a pot of tea was drunk, Vanessa bade farewell to Mr. Lyle wishing him a safe journey and hurried upstairs because of a strange noise of furniture dragging across the floor. She found Florence in her room trying to move a bedside table.

" _Where are you dragging it?"_ Vanessa helped the girl to put it aside.

" _I want to wash the floor under it but it is quite heavy. Whose room was it?"_

" _My friend's."_

" _Does he or she have a name?"_

" _Yes, his name was Ethan, a good friend of mine. He disappeared without a trace after some drastic events,"_ thewoman explained sitting on the bed.

" _Why did you give it to me? There are plenty of other rooms in the house."_ Florence asked washing a floor-cloth in the bucket.

" _It is safe in here and it is closer to my room."_

" _Safe from what?"_ The girl didn't understand what Vanessa was talking about.

Vanessa was silent for a minute and then changed the subject.

" _Thank you for the pancakes. Mr. Lyle ate all of them. Where did you learn to cook?"_

" _I told you, my mom was a servant in a big house. I helped her everywhere until she died."_

" _That was useful, as I see. Fine, when you finish here. I want you to carry some garments to the laundry. I'll write the address."_ Miss Ives stood up and already intended to leave the room when the childish voice stopped her.

" _Where are my old shoes, Miss Ives?"_

" _I threw them away. Why? I've bought you a pair of new shoes yesterday."_

" _They are very elegant and pretty, thank you, but they are too small. Either I go in these slippers which are also not so comfortable or I have my old shoes back,"_ stated the child.

" _You are a walking disaster, Miss Welch."_

Vanessa took a measure tape out of drawers and asked the girl to show her foot. She pressed the tape to the heel and stretched it until girl's big toe.

" _Gosh! Your stockings are soaking wet."_

" _I've been washing, scratching and cleaning all morning!"_ Florence pouted.

" _Then, that's it, wash this room, after that change your stockings and read a book in the living room. I'll make up the fire there."_

Vanessa came home in the thickening twilight. She opened a huge, steel entrance door and found the girl on her knees in the hall washing the floor with a brush. Girl's skirt was partially wet and dirty as well as her blouse, her hands red of detergents that ate away her skin. The child worked like a maniac. Florence's lips were moving without making any noise. The girl was speaking something at a high speed and she didn't hear Miss Ives coming in not until the woman touched lightly girl's shoulder.

" _Florence, look at me."_

Slowly the girl looked up.

" _What were you chanting?"_

" _The Holy Bible, Miss Ives. It helps me focus on the task."_

" _Have you been tidying up the whole day?"_ Vanessa couldn't believe what she saw. The stairs were clean together with the carpet, two thirds of the hall were also shining from the walls to the floor.

" _Yes, Ma'am, I am not lazy-bones. I'm a good servant."_ Florence's hands were obviously shaking from hard work. Water blisters covered small palms, she was tired out.

" _Come on, stand up,"_ ordered the woman.

" _I haven't finished yet."_

" _Stand up, I said!"_ Vanessa had to raise her voice to take the girl out of the stupor.

The child shuddered but stood up.

" _Go, change your clothes and come downstairs."_

" _But…"_ The girl was interrupted by Vanessa's shout.

" _Do it, right now!"_

The child climbed the steps one by one swaying a little when she walked through the corridor to her room. Vanessa was following her ready to catch this fragile body any time but nothing happened.

" _Let me help."_ Miss Ives helped to unbutton girl's blouse because Florence's cold, crooked fingers didn't obey. _"Are these the same stockings you were wearing in the morning?"_ She asked undressing the child. The girl nodded. _"Do you usually listen to what wise people say or you do everything at your own sweet will?"_

" _I wanted to give a surprise,"_ the child confessed still shivering.

" _Oh, you surely did. Tomorrow I'll send for a doctor to relieve the consequences."_ Vanessa put the palm on child's forehead but it was unexpectedly of a normal temperature.

" _What took you so long?"_ A question followed.

" _I was walking down the street to Madame Saint Claire shop to change your shoes and appeared to be near the Natural History Museum. They have a lovely exposition of animals from all over the world. We should go there together, if you like. It is extremely beautiful!"_

" _I see. So, you didn't change the shoes?"_ The child admitted with a pity.

" _You are the most pragmatic girl I've ever seen. I bought you a pair of shoes to wear at home and a pair of boots for walking, of course, another pair of slippers. I left everything downstairs, want to see?"_

" _No, thank you, Miss Ives, may I go to bed?"_ She half apologized half pleaded.

" _Not until you wash your hair once again with that stinky liquid, eat something and I take care of those sore hands of yours. They hurt a lot as I presume."_

The girl sighed and followed the lady to the bathroom.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	4. Chapter 4

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 4**

Vanessa nearly jumped when she saw the girl standing in the doorway to the kitchen next morning. Florence was in her nightgown, with a mess on her head and bandaged hands because yesterday Miss Ives greased girl's hands with some cream that should have cured the rash after detergents.

" _Jesus Christ! Why did you wake up so early?"_

She looked at the girl who was standing barefoot on the floor.

" _And where are your slippers, Miss Welch?"_ Vanessa frowned.

" _I'm sorry, if I gave you a fright. I had a bad dream. Can you, please, unwrap the bandages because I can't even put on my dress."_ The child showed her hands. Fingers were bandaged together like in mittens only the thumb was separated.

" _How do you feel?"_ The expression on Vanessa's face was much softer.

" _Quite good, thank you."_ Florence barely whispered.

" _I don't accept lies in this house."_ The woman stated firmly pressing her lips.

" _I feel as I was run over by a cab, is this what you want to hear, Miss Ives?"_ The dark brown eyes met the light blue ones.

" _That's even quite poetic. Sit down, please"_ Vanessa pointed the child to the chair. She took a knife and cut the knots of bandages on both hands. _"What was your dream about?"_

" _My elder brother was playing with me. He wanted to bandage me into a mummy and put me into a tomb. I woke up when he locked me inside."_ She whispered breathing heavily as if it was painful for her to remember.

" _There is nothing to fear now. You're safe."_ Vanessa brushed some unruly locks from child's forehead. She removed the bandages only to reveal swollen hands. She looked at the palms covered in watery blisters and gently touched them. _"Does it hurt?"_

The child nodded.

" _We need to prickle them to take the lymph out or they'll hurt even worse. Wait here."_

The woman returned with a sewing needle which she made red-hot in the open fire.

" _Come on, it's not as scary as it looks."_

Nevertheless, Florence's pale cheeks became even paler. She extended her shaky arm to the woman, who took child's hand gently and very carefully prickled one blister after another pressing them to make the liquid pour out. The girl didn't scream but tears dropped silently from her eyes.

" _That's it. You're a brave little girl."_ Miss Ives kissed her on the forehead. _"Now let's disinfect them and I bandage them again but only palms. We should buy a pair of gloves for you."_

" _Thank you, Miss Ives."_ The child whispered wiping the tears with the back of her hands.

" _No work for you today. First, we'll take care of your hair. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I would be able to comb it. It's dreadfully tangled. I think it will be wiser to cut it shorter. Second, we'll go and buy you a pair of gloves, some cream to treat your hands and we walk in the park for a while. It's not good to stay at home all day long."_

" _I never heard of these duties to be included in the servant's work list."_ The girl frowned.

" _Let's play a game. You will be my little niece who came to visit her auntie,"_ suggested Miss Ives.

" _I don't like playing games."_

" _Then, what do you like?"_

" _Being invisible, to do things, that people only pay attention to when they are not done."_

" _Like washing up or sweeping floors?"_ presumedMiss Ives.

" _Yes."_

" _That's very sad to hear from a child of your age."_ Vanessa looked the girl in the eyes only to see an abyss of loneliness and sorrow.

" _Most of the people live their whole lives like that,"_ spoke the girl standing from the chair.

" _If you don't want to obey the orders of the lady of this house you may go away, nobody's keeping you here. Otherwise, you do as I say and that's that!"_ Vanessa stated waiting for the child's reaction.

" _I'd rather stay, Miss Ives,"_ mumbled the girl.

" _Then find those bloody slippers that you always forget somewhere and put a shawl over your body, don't dress up, because I'll try to comb that hair."_ She shooed the girl away from the kitchen.

" _So, you have an elder brother, don't you?"_ The woman asked combing Florence's hair in the bathroom in order not to make a mess in any other room if she needed to cut some locks.

" _I have two elder brothers. One is 16 and another is 13. I also had a sister younger than me but she died of whooping cough at the age of five. Mom died a year ago while giving birth to my youngest brother. He also didn't survive,"_ explained Florence wincing a little when Vanessa pulled her hair too hard.

" _I'm sorry to hear that."_

" _Why didn't you stay with your brothers?"_

" _Mark is working at the factory. Work there is very hard and it's dangerous to live there for a girl like me. He found me a place at the sewing factory, I didn't last out a day, though. The noise was so loud and that smell of fabric and dust everywhere, I had a seizure and the owner threw me out. Mark couldn't keep me because it wasn't safe. Besides, he has a girlfriend. That's why, I went away."_ She was telling her story while Miss Ives cut down her unruly hair.

" _What about the other brother?"_

" _Mathew is still working in the house of De Lynd family. He's a gardener and my father is a groom, but nobody's waiting for me there."_

" _Why so?"_

" _My dad started gambling, playing cards for stakes, etc. He made the money fly and one day he gambled me away. Of course, he didn't say anything, just told me to go with a gentleman,"_ Florence took a deep breath as if the words got stuck in her mouth.

Vanessa stopped combing girl's hair not knowing what to say.

" _Did he...?"_ She asked in a low voice immediately interrupted by the child.

" _Do me any harm? No, thanks to Mr. De Lynd who gave me to read the books beyond child's ken. He wanted to guard me from the evil of this world. I went with the man, played along until I kicked him hard in the crotch and I ran. Lord helped me that day. I didn't have seizures, I ran into the woods and ran, and ran, and ran. I was there for three days eating grass and berries, everything that was eatable when I came out on the road. There I joined a family with many children. They were travelling south. That's how I got from Northampton to London."_ Florence finished her story.

While the child was talking Miss Ives combed and straightened girl's hair making it shorted with every cut. The locks curled up again the second she let them go and it seemed to the woman that they are not the same length as they should be. So, she cut and cut until she realized that the hair was barely reaching girl's jaw.

" _Oh, my God! What I've done!"_ Vanessa looked at the girl who had a bob of perfect curls too short to scrape them in a ponytail. _"Just don't cry, alright? It'll grow again, I promise."_

" _May I at least look at myself?"_

" _Yeah, sure,"_ she gave a mirror to the girl preparing for some hysterical outcome.

" _I like it! It short so I won't break brushes anymore,"_ Florence smiled at a very surprised woman. _"But it's still scratchy."_

" _Because not all the lice have died yet. I'm afraid we should treat you with that stinky liquid again."_

The girl huffed but let the woman wash her hair as she couldn't do it with her damaged hands. Vanessa changed the subject on purpose, she didn't know what to say, how to tell an innocent girl who has already been through a lot that here she also can't be protected, not in this house, not with her. What could she give her a shelter, food but not love? Not anything a child needs so much, the one who would be always beside the girl, who would listen and give some advice, who would be near no matter what. The woman was confused. All her friends were away, there was nobody to speak to, so maybe a letter?

" _Go on, open them."_ Vanessa told the girl who was fully dressed in her green gown with black embroidered flowers on the top, a fresh kerchief on her head and properly laced shoes. Florence was standing in the living room near the table with several packages wrapped in papers of different colors and tied with bands. Girl's hands were bandaged again only from knuckles until the top of the wrist, so her fingers could move freely, while her sore palms were healing.

" _You are extremely kind, Miss Ives."_

" _And you are incredibly timid, Miss Welch. If I were you, I would have already opened them without asking anyone's permission."_

She opened the biggest to see another more beautiful dress of pale violet color decorated with lace and chiffon, in other parcels she found a blouse, some undergarments and ribbons.

" _I don't think I'll need them for at least two or three months, though, thank you very much anyway,"_ Florence expressed her gratitude to Miss Ives putting the ribbons aside.

The last but not the least was a strange box tied with a perfect bow, as if the person who wanted to give this present carefully thought of every little detail. Florence untied the bow slowly and removed the cover. There she found a very funny white rabbit made of fabric in a dark blue waistcoat and grey pants under the toy was a book.

" _Alice in Wonderland?"_ The child looked up at the woman.

" _Have you read it?"_

" _No, I haven't."_

" _I read it first time when I was your age. My father bought it on Christmas. I could still remember the smell of a fir-tree, I was sitting in a comfortable arm-chair near the mantelpiece and reading this exciting adventure. I hope you'll like it."_ Miss Ives smiled seeing sparkles that shined in girl's eyes the moment she noticed the book.

" _Thank you, Miss Ives. It will be a greatest pleasure for me to read it. The rabbit is also adorable,"_ she added not to give away her negligence to the toy.

" _I quite despise porcelain dolls but when we go to the shop you'll choose whatever you like,"_ Vanessa didn't miss girl's disappointment when she found the toy rabbit.

" _I'm not fond of them either and I don't need any toys. I can do them myself,"_ Florence pronounced nonchalantly.

" _How exactly?"_

" _My mom taught me crocheting. She was a master and thought it could prevent me from having seizures. It didn't help much but now I can do a lot of pretty things, not as good as my mother would do, still…"_

" _Oh, you are a pure jack-of-all-trades, Miss Welch. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you can clean, cook, speak two foreign languages and crochet. I wonder what you can't do."_ It was really amazing for such a small kid to know all these things.

" _My dad would say that I can't be a normal child, I guess."_

" _He was afraid of you, wasn't he?"_

" _Aren't you?"_

" _No, not at all. I see the child, who wants to fit in the adult world, it is impossible, though, due to the age because people are used to stereotypes. A nine year old girl should love sweets, play with dolls and think of becoming a wife to some young lad with a moustache. Nobody cares that she could be wiser than an old scholar and be handy at doing any little thing around the house. They see a child and if she doesn't behave like others than something is wrong with her. It would be too cranky to imagine even for a moment that they are too arrogant and blinkered to understand with their tiny brains the truth which is in front of them."_ Miss Ives concluded.

" _Hm, Mister De Lynd also said that I should embrace my uniqueness not hide it from the others,"_ Florence answered confused by Vanessa's words.

" _Then, why don't you?"_ Vanessa came closer and put her hand on girl's shoulder reassuringly. _"How will you name the rabbit by the way?"_

" _A rabbit, what else should I call it?"_

" _First of all, it's not it, it's him according to a waistcoat and pants he's wearing. Second, how can he become your friend if he doesn't know how to introduce himself?"_ the woman squinted her eyes to check girl's reaction to this open manipulation.

" _Fine…"_ Florence thought for a while, _"Let me present you, Mister Walter De Lynd."_ The girl took rabbit's paw and extended it so Miss Ives could shake it.

" _How do you do, Mister De Lynd."_ Vanessa grinned inviting them both to have breakfast with her.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	5. Chapter 5

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 5**

" **October 6, 1892**

 **My Dear Sir Malcolm,**

 **Where this letter shall find you, I don't know. I hope on some far flung adventure. I don't want this to cause you any alarm, but I've not been entirely honest in my previous letters. I didn't want to worry you or, perhaps, I've lived too long with secrets and become over-reliant on them. All has not gone well with me here. I've been low and sadden tree, not willing to go outside. Sinking to an unkind and lengthy liturgy, sinking to something like my own sadness.**

 **Some days ago, a drastic change came into this house and turned everything upside down, a child, whom I have never seen before and I think, I never will. It was quite an amusing encounter. She has been stealing food from a delivery basket that was brought from groceries. Florence was so terrified by my awful state (as her name is Florence Welch) when I caught her that she started chanting the prayers in pure Latin taking me for an evil spirit of the house. Can you imagine a nine year old child citing the Bible better than a priest? Even now it is hard for me to believe how extraordinary smart and hard-working she is as I hired her to serve me because otherwise she wouldn't stay. Silly of me, I know. I am not the one who can protect her because you know for sure how dangerous it could be for everybody who is around me.**

 **I am trying not to get attached to her, which is really hard to do due to Miss Welch's natural charm and delicacy. Yesterday we went for a walk and she made me buy a coat of an extremely light-sand color which I probably shall not wear at all, her argumentation, though, was so persuasive that I couldn't resist. I'm sure, if you saw her, you would agree. Therefore, I will let her stay for now until I find her a better place where she'll be welcomed and loved.**

 **So, I sing off now with hope and as ever with love,**

 **Vanessa"**

" _Good morning, Miss Ives. Here you are,"_ Florence put the morning newspaper on the table in the library where Vanessa was reading the cards.

" _Thank you, Miss Welch,"_ Vanessa was so absorbed with the cards displayed on the table that she answered automatically.

" _What would you like for breakfast, Miss Ives?"_

" _A piece of apple pie we bought yesterday would be fine, thank you."_

" _That's for dessert, I'm asking about the main meal for breakfast,"_ insisted the child.

" _I always eat desserts for breakfast. You ate porridge yesterday, wasn't it good with honey and slices of apple and pier?"_

" _Yes, it was delicious, Miss Ives. I liked it very much, thank you,"_ Florence admitted.

" _Then why should I eat some disgusting sausage or fried eggs for the first meal of the day if I can eat something really tasty?"_

" _Of course, Miss Ives, I'll serve you an apple pie with hot tea."_ The girl was ready to go but the woman stopped her.

" _Miss Welch, could you please pick up a card?"_

" _I'm sorry, Miss Ives, but fortune telling is forbidden by the church and I don't believe in cards anyway,"_ Florence apologized.

" _Do you condemn me for my scandalous conduct?"_ Vanessa asked sarcastically her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

" _I didn't say that. There is no sense of telling my fortune because I'm pretty sure what my fate will be."_ The girl replied sincerely.

" _Oh, do you have some supernatural abilities? Maybe you can predict my future, Miss Clairvoyant,"_ she teased the girl.

" _I can't tell anything about you, Miss Ives but for me it's clear that sooner or later I'll die falling down from the stairs or hitting my head on some stone as I hit the pavement when I have seizures. My mom thought crocheting was the best occupation for me until I plugged the hook into my leg during one of those stupid attacks. I still have a scar there, you'd seen it, I recon,"_ confessed Florence.

Vanessa was silent for a while. She didn't want to give up so easily, though.

" _Still, pick up the card but think what your most cherished dream is."_

The child came closer to the table, moved her hand over the cards and picked up the farthest from her.

" _Here's your card."_ She put it negligently on the table intending to leave the room.

" _Wait a second and let me have a look at your hands."_

Vanessa gently took girl's hands and turned them palms up to see how bad the blisters were. The skin was dry and flaky a little but it looked better than yesterday.

" _Have you applied ointment yet?"_

" _It smells strong. How can I prepare breakfast if my hands smell so disgusting?"_

" _Fine, go into my room and take some cream. It's on the chest of drawers,"_ offered the woman. _"Don't you want to know the card, you've picked?"_ She asked when Florence was in the doorway.

" _I've already told you the answer!"_ was the reply.

Vanessa turned over the card and looked back at the door where the girl has just disappeared. It depicted a male head turned upwards with a huge spider on his neck. Its name was "Death".

Vanessa and Florence were passing the cases with animals in the Natural History Museum. Miss Ives was in the sandy colored coat and a very fashionable dress with stripes all over it while the girl wore a blue skirt, violet coat, a hat of the same color, black buckled boots and blue gloves which covered her blistered hands.

" _Aren't they beautiful? They look like they are ready to take off running!"_ The woman exclaimed more excited than the child who was going quietly from one case to another with no emotions on her face.

" _This is the most rueful place I've ever visited,"_ Florence finally pronounced as if the words stuck in her throat.

" _What? Why?"_ Vanessa was obviously astonished to hear that.

" _People killed all these animals for what, for making the puppets out of them and displaying to the audience? There is nothing except death and suffering here,"_ concluded the child truly disappointed.

" _Yesterday for dinner you ate meat and today in the morning you also ate a sandwich with ham. So, why those animals weren't so precious than these that you see now?"_ Miss Ives retorted.

" _I don't have any answer to that. It just doesn't feel right,"_ the girl mumbled ashamed by her one-sided view of the problem.

" _I have, it is called hypocrisy. Do you understand what it is?"_

" _Yes, Miss Ives. I'm sorry."_

Suddenly the girl stopped next to one case unsure of where to go either back of forward.

" _Come on, silly! It won't bite. The posture is exquisite, isn't it?"_ The woman came closer to the case with venomous snake ready to attack, even small drops of poison were vividly depicted on its dead fangs. _"Are you afraid of snakes?"_

" _A little,"_ said the child still terrified by the creature.

" _Have you ever seen a snake before?"_

" _Yes, when I spent three days in the forest. There was a big one. I would have stepped on it if it hadn't hissed. You can't even imagine how fast they can slither."_

" _This one won't creep anywhere, I promise. Let's go further."_

She took the child by the hand and they went upstairs to watch the spiders and other small insects.

" _Do you like them?"_ Florence enquired as Vanessa stared for some time at the case with scorpions.

" _I? No, they are also very dangerous creatures but I'm not afraid of them,"_ explained Miss Ives.

" _Have you touched at least one?"_

" _Yes, I have."_

" _Where?"_ The girl was totally surprised to hear such a response.

" _Sir Malcolm, the owner of the house and my best friend, he travelled all over the African continent. Once he brought us kids a tiny scorpion. That's how I touched it."_ Vanessa invented this story for the child because she couldn't reveal the truth of her being able to create scorpions in the battle with a powerful witch.

" _How do you think if a snake and a scorpion met, who would survive?"_

" _Hm, an interesting question, I don't have a clue, never thought about it,"_ admitted Miss Ives. _"Maybe we should ask an expert?"_ She heard the sound of Dr. Sweet's voice somewhere downstairs in the museum and went to see what was happening there.

They both joined the lecture that first was about foxes but turned to be about scorpions which amused Florence a lot. The girl was impressed by Miss Ives's knowledge of these small arachnids. After the lecture was over, Doctor himself approached to praise Miss Ives for her in depth knowledge of the subject.

" _Dr. Sweet, let me present you my niece, Miss Florence Welch."_

" _How do you do, Dr. Sweet,"_ The girl bowed to greet the tall man.

" _How do you do, Miss Welch. I hope my lecture a bit broadened your horizons in the field of zoology,"_ he asked the child and for a second Florence thought that his eyes became darker than a night but the next moment they turned back to their normal color. She looked at Miss Ives to see if she noticed this strange change. The woman was smiling at him obviously pleased to be in his company.

" _Yes, Sir. It was very interesting."_ She couldn't find the right words to say after that strange hallucination.

" _I was showing Miss Welch this enormous collection and she asked a question that put me at a stand. That's why I told that we'll consult a true scientist to shed the light on this issue."_

" _So, what was the question?"_ Women's intriguing tone got the man guessing.

" _If a snake meets a scorpion, who the winner will be?"_

" _That is definitely an interesting question. We have to keep in mind a lot of variables here, the precise kind of a snake and a scorpion, the distance they we'll be at…"_ He started enumerating.

" _Let's presume a viper and an albino scorpion at… let's say, 5 inch distance between them,"_ Miss Ives précised all the variables for the doctor not to beat about the bush.

" _A viper strikes very quickly and the distance of five inch it can do in milliseconds. Nevertheless, a scorpion can still attack even if it's already in the viper's mouth. In this case…"_ He didn't finish his idea as Vanessa interrupted him.

" _So, Dr. Sweet, you should admit that you can't answer a childish question,"_ she chuckled.

" _Perhaps not, I'm afraid. In my opinion, it is a great issue for a proper research,"_ He also smiled. _"Miss Welch, thank you for such a diverting question."_

" _I'm glad that my question amused you, Sir. Miss Ives, may I go to watch animals of British forests?"_ Florence asked to give the adults some time to speak and to get away from the man who made her feel uneasy.

" _Yes, sure. Go ahead."_

The girl was walking along rows of cases with animals. Suddenly she saw some animals changing their position as she passed by. A fox was licking its cubs, there a rabbit jumped away from the wolf. A mouse in the grass was eating rye while the owl above turned its head to look at the prey. Was it her imagination playing tricks on her or they were really moving? She saw a falcon flying down from the tree preparing its claws to attack.

At this very moment Miss Ives heard a horrifying female scream and ran towards it.

" _Florence!"_ The thought came as a flash in her mind. The doctor followed her also driven by the woman's unexpected fear. Vanessa found the girl squirming on the floor, her limbs bending in some unbelievable even inhuman ways. She kneeled beside her, taking a long pin of red wood from her hair.

" _Please, help me to unclench her teeth or she'll swallow her tongue!"_ The plea sounded almost like an order but Dr. Sweet was already on the floor near the convulsing body. He grimaced trying to part childish jaws. It wasn't because he couldn't do that. Florence's skin caused unbearable pain for him. Every touch was like cinders taken from the mantelpiece so hot that they burned his skin till the bones. Man's movements were brisk and systematic. He didn't do any useless gestures. As quickly as possible he put the pin between girl's teeth and let the worried woman hold her.

" _I'll call the doctor,"_ he said standing up trying to get away from this demonic child as his hands were still burning.

" _No, don't. He won't help. Better get a cab, and thank you, Dr. Sweet."_ Vanessa looked up at him holding the girl while others were staring at this terrible torture.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	6. Chapter 6

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 6**

 _ **Dear readers! Thank you very much for your reviews! They are really important for me to know in what way I should proceed further! I would be glad to see more of them! So, feel free to comment on the story!**_

Dr. Alexander Sweet helped to carry the child to the cab. It seemed to Vanessa that he lifted the girl so gently, as a real father who didn't want to disturb his daughter's peaceful sleep. On the contrary, the man didn't feel anything. He made sure not to touch girl's open skin and as she was fully dressed, even her small hands were in gloves, it wasn't so hard to do. Nonetheless, he could feel the heat of her body while he was approaching the cab. It made him sweat. The only thing the scholar wanted to do was to break this little beast her pretty neck because he knew exactly what she was.

" _Maybe I should still send for a doctor to examine her? A good friend of mine is an excellent specialist,"_ he suggested but heard the same negative response from the woman.

" _Thank you, Mr. Sweet. You've done a lot today, now it's my turn to take care of my little niece, otherwise, her father would kill me,"_ she lied. _"I'm sorry that we met again at this juncture. Good day, Dr. Sweet."_

The woman closed the door of the cab and it set off. Florence came round in the cab. She felt dizzy and slightly disoriented.

" _How do you feel, child?"_

" _Where are we?"_ The girl tried to understand the place and the time she was in.

" _In the cab, going home. Look at me, Florence! How are you?"_ She touched girl's cheeks with both of her hands to stop that roving glance. Instead of answering Florence began to cry. Silent tears dropped on her coat.

" _I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"_ the girl wept.

Vanessa hugged her small form.

" _Don't be, everything is alright."_

Florence wept and wept until the cab stopped at the entrance door.

" _Florence, can you walk?"_

" _Yes, Miss Ives."_

Vanessa helped the child out of the cab, paid for the trip and opened the door.

" _I think my hands are broken,"_ The girl whispered. Her gloves were wet of blood and hands were shaking.

Very carefully inch after inch Vanessa took of one glove after another to reveal a messy wound on each of girl's hands. They looked like hands were pierced all the way through because the holes were symmetrical on the palm and the back of the hand. The woman was shocked. These wounds couldn't have appeared out of nowhere. Florence could have broken a bone or could have damaged her teeth, bitten her tongue but not like this. This was completely impossible. Blood started dropping on the floor.

" _Come with me, we need to stop the bleeding."_

She sat Florence down and ran upstairs to get the aid-kit.

" _Look at me,"_ The woman pressed a cloth with some liquid that caused terrible pain. The girl shrieked and began weeping again. _"Florence, I must call a doctor."_

" _No, please. It'll stop soon. Please, let me stay. I'll just serve, I'll be in the house. I won't go anywhere. I'll do my duties and try to be invisible, I promise. I don't need a doctor, please!"_ She sobbed.

" _Listen to me! I won't give you away but I need a doctor to examine these wounds!"_

" _How are you going to explain the doctor, how I got these wounds? These aren't the blisters, I didn't scratch my hands, I haven't pierced them with anything as my gloves are still in one piece! What the doctor will believe my story or yours?! He will put me into an asylum!"_ She argued out of breath because of tears.

" _Fine, please, drink this."_ A woman gave a spoonful of a frowzy liquid.

" _What is it?"_ The child looked at the spoon through tears.

" _Valerian tea. Have you had such wounds before?"_ Vanessa stopped cleaning the wound for a moment.

" _Yes,"_ came the reply and Florence grimaced after gulping enormously disgusting medicine.

" _When?"_

" _I was five. The son of the master was very ill. They tried everything. All doctors, brightest scholars and shams came to Sir Frederick's house all in vain. Mr. De Lynd's grandson died some days after the last healer came. Her name was Madame Clemens. She practiced non-traditional methods of treatment. She had the poor boy eat some disgusting medicine made God knows of what and how. She chanted strange verses and even summoned up souls from their graves to heal the lad. Mom said the boy was feeling much better when Madame Clemens treated him. As she served this strange woman, she asked her to examine me. The woman agreed, though, Sir De Lynd didn't accept the idea. Those days I spent more time with him in the library than with my parents who never understood me and to my mind, were afraid of me,"_ the girl hissed and interrupted the narrative because Miss Ives applied the cloth to another hand.

" _So, my mom took me out of bed at night, asked me to keep it a secret and we went to Madame Clemens. I'll never forget her face, green emerald eyes, thin crooked nose, barely visible lips like a cut on her face and dark red hair. She was tall and skinny. When I saw her I clutched my mother's skirt begging her not to give me to that scary woman, though, a lot of men who courted her wouldn't understand that unexplainable fear of a five year old. I don't know what happened as I lost consciousness or came into that epileptic state of mine but the only thing I remember was unbearable pain as both my hands and feet were in wounds. I had suffered for forty days until my body healed. As I heard the rumors that servants spread within their small community the woman disappeared the very night she touched me. My mother had never spoken about that unfortunate accident but when I felt better, she let me live in the northern part of the house with Sir De Lynd, who was taking care of me then."_ Florence finished the unhappy story trying to suppress trembling from every touch the cloth produced to her body.

" _Do you know what it is?"_

" _Sir De Lynd studied religious views mostly the Christianity beginning from the Bible and ending with the legends and myths about holy objects. He supposed that the wounds might have been identical to those that Jesus Christ had after crucifixion. He called them stigmas but this is just a theory of "an old crazy scholar" as he liked to call himself,"_ said the girl.

Vanessa was thinking while dressing the wounds. If Florence told the truth, then that red haired woman might have been a witch just like Vanessa. It meant that this child somehow reacted to evil and her epilepsy was a sign like the disease Vanessa had after her betrayal of best friend Mina. Stigmas, which appeared from nowhere, could have been the result of living next to the witch. The sinful witch she was that evil in her made this innocent child bleed. Miss Ives was taken aback by the conclusion of a scarce analysis she has just made in her haunted mind. She stared at the girl, who became paler but at least pretended to stop crying. The woman finished dressing the wounds as fast as she could, trying not to touch girl's bare skin with hers. Florence thanked Miss Ives and stood up swaying a little. Vanessa was immediately by her side ready to catch girl's fragile body but not touching the child if there wasn't the necessity.

" _I think you should go to bed, Miss Welch."_

" _I'm very sorry for your coat, Miss Ives. I'll take it to the laundry tomorrow,"_ the child apologized looking at the coat market with quite visible red stains.

" _Never mind, black suits me better anyway,"_ Vanessa gave a wink to the girl. _"Florence, have your parents ever treated your condition? I mean, except that strange healer who left you covered in wounds."_

" _My mother was a simple maid and father was a groom. They didn't have much money to pay the doctors. When I was younger sometimes doctors came, gave some sort of medicine which didn't help, then they disappeared. After that red lady Sir De Lynd forbade any types of medicine except bromide, that was given to me before going to sleep or I felt sleepy all day long after taking it."_

" _Did it help at least a little?"_ The woman asked with hope.

" _Not much. I have been having seizures since I remember myself. Sometimes they come like a sort of blackness. Sometimes I start hallucinating. The thing is I can't control it."_ Florence said with regret.

" _And today? How has it started today?"_ Miss Ives sounded surely interested by this simple confession.

" _Today I saw a falcon in one of the cases coming at me, wanting to rip off my eyes."_

" _How often do you see hallucinations? Are they usually about the things surrounding you or you also can hallucinate about something unreal?"_

" _They are hallucinations. They can be about anything like in Alice in Wonderland,"_ said the child.

Vanessa smiled. The girl has already started reading the book.

" _Have you ever seen something like a demon or a devil?"_

They were standing in Florence's room and Vanessa was unbuttoning girl's blouse to get the child ready to sleep.

" _What are you getting at, Miss Ives? Are you going to put me in an asylum for handicaps or some working house for idiots like me?"_ Florence asked seriously.

" _Miss Welch, you are too little to pronounce such rude words!"_ Miss Ives playfully reprimanded the girl taking off her upper skirt, so the child remained in her undergarment. _"I never send my maids whom I hired not so long ago to such awful places! You hurt me deeply! As a punishment you will go to sleep until I come back to this room and wake you up."_

She made the girl get into bed and tucked the blanket up.

" _Should I stay?"_ asked the woman.

" _No, you may go. Thank you for everything, Miss Ives. I'm pretty sure I can sleep by myself in daylight."_

" _Then, sleep tight."_

Vanessa went to her room and lit up a cigarette. She was extremely worried about those mystical wounds on girl's hands and the pain they caused to this little innocent child. Her first intention was to find Dr. Frankenstein but what could he do in this case? Give some morphine? She recalled the times lying in her bed tied to it possessed by some unknown demon and four adult men running around wringing hands like small children and not helping much. The doctor could provide her with vitamins and sedatives but not cure. She had to address to some other person for cure. The cigarette ended abruptly as if the woman hadn't lit it at all. Miss Ives took her black coat and left the house getting a cab in the street.

At the same time Florence was lying in bed crying again. Her lips were quickly moving chanting the prayers that might help to ease that unbearable pain.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	7. Chapter 7

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 7**

" _Dr. Steward, a woman is waiting for you. She insisted on seeing you. She presented herself as Miss Ives,"_ announced Mr. Renfield.

" _Hasn't Mr. White come yet?"_ the woman at the table retorted.

" _He came ten minutes earlier as usual,"_ was the reply.

" _Invite him, please, and send this lady away if she doesn't have any appointment,"_ said Dr. Steward nonchalantly.

" _She said that it is a matter of extreme emergency!"_

" _If my patients didn't have matters of extreme emergency, they wouldn't come,"_ the old woman pronounced firmly.

" _Yes, Ma'am. I'll send Mr. White here immediately."_ He left the room.

The woman heard some noise of two people arguing and instead Mr. White the door was opened by a dark haired, slim, tall woman. She immediately closed it after herself blocking the handle with her hand to prevent any attempts of Mr. Renfield to open the door again.

" _Good afternoon, Dr. Steward. My name is Vanessa Ives. My friend recommended you as a specialist of mental health diseases…"_ This very moment she stopped abruptly because she recognized the woman. It was exactly the same face and stature of the Cut-Wife of Ballentree Moor. _"My friend is Mr. Ferdinand Lyle."_ She finished her sentence.

" _Oh, Miss Ives, yes, he told me about you. I thought you'd come at the beginning of the week not in the end of it. If you could wait so long, I recon one hour won't do you any harm. So, please, let my patient in. It isn't a good idea to embark on a voyage of discovery with a broken hand,"_ the old woman emphasized the last words.

" _Of course, Dr. Steward, but after an hour you will hear me out!"_ Vanessa let go the handle and Mr. Renfield nearly fell into the room. _"Gentlemen!"_ She greeted the men and went outside.

" _Now can we talk?"_ Again Miss Ives didn't wait to be invited into the room and she had a huge paper bag from a chemist's shop.

" _Mr. Lyle told me about depression but I see impatience and agitation,"_ Dr. Steward commented inviting Miss Ives to sit down. The woman refused to sit on a chair instead she put the paper bag on it.

" _So, how can I help you, Miss Ives?"_ spoke the doctor beginning her observation.

" _It's not about me. It's about a girl I met a few days ago. She's epileptic…"_ Vanessa was passing nervously from one side of the room to the other clutching and unclutching her hands.

" _I don't treat epilepsy. My specialization is manic depression, nervous breakdown and dissociative identity disorder. I'm not interested in epilepsy. If you didn't come for yourself, then good evening, Miss Ives."_

" _Please, listen to me! She's a nine year old girl, very bright, not like any other kids I've met in my whole life. She had an awful seizure today that left her with too wounds on each of her hands as if she was pierced by huge nails,"_ Miss Ives described the events not stopping passing from one side of the room to another.

" _So, she started cutting herself. It's a problem at this young age. I would recommend you a child psychiatrist as I don't work with children."_ The old woman wrote something on a piece of paper.

" _Do you actually listen?!"_ Vanessa hissed and stopped for a moment to look at this arrogant doctor. _"I was present when she had that awful seizure. She was wearing gloves and didn't have any wounds on her palms until falling down! When I took off the gloves I saw two identical holes on this poor girl's hands!"_

" _Fine, Miss Ives. Tomorrow at 10 o'clock in the morning I would like to see that imaginary girl of yours. I charge ten shillings for a session the same as a good dentist. So, you may take this girl to the dentist or bring her to my office tomorrow. Your choice! Good bye, Miss Ives. Visiting hours for today is over."_

" _See you tomorrow at ten, Dr. Steward."_ Vanessa hiked the paper bag from the chair and stormed out of the office muttering curses on her way.

Miss Ives came home late and angry. She left the girl for almost three hours alone with those drastic wounds just because that arrogant doctor didn't want to listen to what she was going to say. Vanessa was intrigued, though, because doctor resembled her friend so much. She avenged the Cut-Wife of Ballentree Moor once, maybe her distant relative would help now. She extremely needed this help as all the people who once cared for her were far away and lost.

Vanessa bought different herbs to make her own painkiller for the girl. So, she hoped Florence would be still sleeping after so much suffering but another picture came to the fore. The child in her under-gown and shawl was striking matches to make up a fire and probably to heat up some food. As it was very painful for her to pick up something she put a match between her thumb and palm and stroke without paying attention to the bandages. The stove lit up and girl's left hand caught a fire which she quickly knocked off by slamming her palm on the table. Of cause, it caused her smarting pain. Miss Ives, who grasped girl's sore hand right over only worsened the pain.

" _Ouch!"_ Florence cried with tears in her eyes.

" _Florence, what on earth are you doing?!"_ Vanessa exclaimed sounding more worried than furious. The blood soaked from either part of both hands judging by the stains on the bandages.

" _I thought you would come soon and wanted to heat up some chicken with cauliflower,"_ explained the child.

" _That's very thoughtful of you, but you could have set yourself on fire,"_ Vanessa reprimanded. _"From now on I don't want to see you doing anything with those hands of yours. Do you hear me?!"_

The girl slightly nodded.

" _If you need to put on some clothes, you ask me. If you are hungry, you tell me. If you need to wash, I'll help. Got it?"_

Florence nodded again while tears were streaming down her face and dropping on the floor.

" _Hush, everything will be fine!"_ Vanessa put her arms around girl's skinny shoulders and they were standing in the kitchen swaying for some time. The moment she embraced this child she forgot about her sorrow, pain and the loss of God. It seemed as if Florence gave her power to go ahead, to stand against the evil that surrounded her from the very childhood. Vanessa forgot her fear not to touch the girl because of the ability to harm this little, fragile human being.

" _Let's treat your wounds and eat something."_ The woman proposed after some time. Florence nodded still sniffing.

Next morning they had an argument where Florence accused Miss Ives of being a cold-hearted person who wanted to give her away to the asylum. As the girl's couldn't do anything she let the woman dress her, in protest didn't eat anything for breakfast and was silent on their way to the doctor.

" _Good morning, Miss Ives. An imaginary child isn't so imaginary as I thought, come in and sit down, please,"_ Dr. Steward greeted Miss Ives with her small companion. _"And what is your name?"_ She addressed to the girl.

" _Her name is Florence Welch. I look after her,"_ Vanessa answered nervously not quite sure if she could tell the truth.

" _Miss Ives, I told you yesterday that I don't work with kids. Still she is here. That's why, I hope she is not deaf and can articulate an answer herself. Otherwise, it will be a waste of my time and your money. You may wait for her outside this room as this session is confidential and I don't talk with other people about my patients' affairs,"_ the woman looked strictly at Miss Ives trying to kill her with the look.

" _No, Ma'am, please, I would like Miss Ives to stay,"_ Florence was taken aback by such impolite treatment of her so to speak 'guardian'.

" _Why do you want her to stay? Is she your mother?"_ Dr. Steward stared at the two of them searching for any similar features.

" _No, she hired me as a housemaid. Unfortunately, I can't do much due to circumstances and Miss Ives was severally liable to take care of me for some time. To whom have I the honor of speaking?"_ Once, a very shy child became an outstanding orator.

" _My name is Dr. Florence Steward. So, we have the same name as you see. Still you didn't answer my question, Miss Welch. Why do you want Miss Ives to stay during the session?"_

" _I prone to think, that Miss Ives wants to put me into asylum. If my expectations prove to be right, I would like Miss Ives to see how they'll come after me,"_ the girl said coldly.

Dr. Steward smirked. This had to be an interesting case.

" _Miss Ives, you may sit over there, and you, Miss Welch, please, sit opposite my table."_

Vanessa didn't give a dam to girl's last comment. She helped the child to unbutton and take off the coat and the hat. She sat in the corner as Florence sat in front of Dr. Steward's table.

" _For a girl of your age you should be able to take off the coat by yourself,"_ Dr. Steward noticed on purpose.

" _My hands are covered in rash and blisters after two days of tidying up the house. So, I can barely move my fingers."_ Saying so Florence turned to look at Miss Ives, who just shook her head.

" _If I didn't know, what happened to you, I would have thought that you were telling the truth as you don't even blink while lying. May I see your hands, Miss Welch?"_

Florence again glanced at Vanessa who nodded in approval. The old woman saw this silent language but for now she didn't want to attract much attention to this minor violence of the rules.

" _If it is extremely necessary, then, yes."_ The girl agreed to show her sore hands.

The girl patiently waited, until the doctor has unwrapped the bandages.

" _How did you get them?"_ Mrs. Steward askedexamining girl's wounds. Florence winced a little when she turned her hands palms up.

" _I thought Miss Ives had already told that dramatic story,"_ Florence grumbled obviously not liking the pain caused by the old woman's not so gentle touch.

Dr. Steward turned to her table and switched on the recording gramophone.

" _This is for me. I record my sessions for later review, saves for taking notes,"_ she explained more to Vanessa than to the girl, who was definitely relieved that Dr. Steward left her hands alone for a while. _"So, tell me this dramatic story of yours."_

The doctor left girl's hands without bandages on purpose. She needed to see the behavior of this smart girl. The wounds had to be the reminders of what happened to her yesterday. Dr. Steward listened to the girl and asked Miss Ives the same question. Then she talked to Florence about the first time she suffered from seizures.

" _I don't remember exactly my age because my parents didn't celebrate our birthdays. We celebrated religious holidays but not birthdays. I think I was two or something around that age,"_ The girl started talking and was immediately interrupted by the doctor.

" _Miss Welch, in this room you should tell the truth or you may go. I can't help those who lie to me."_ The old woman said strictly.

" _I'm not lying!"_ huffed Florence.

" _No, you are! Children remember things starting from the age of 4 or 5. The brain is growing together with the person. It is impossible for you to remember what you were doing at the age of two!"_

" _If you give me a book and some time to read several pages, I can prove that I have an extraordinary memory,"_ the child suggested staring at the woman as if she was going to eat her alive.

" _There is no need in it. See those two shelves. Please, read the names of the books on both of them."_ The doctor didn't hesitate to take a dare because she noticed at the beginning from child's speech that this girl was an extraordinary one.

It took one minute for the girl to read all the titles as she was a slow reader.

" _Now look at Miss Ives, please."_

The girl turned her gaze away from the shelves. Dr. Steward came to the shelves and changed two books that were standing next to each other.

" _Now tell me what I have changed?"_

Florence came to the shelves and showed exactly the books that were not on their places.

" _That's right,"_ the doctor said it so nonchalantly as if she wasn't at all surprised by girl's ability. _"Fine, let's say you remember yourself from the age of 2, what happened then?"_

Florence answered doctor's questions until the end of the session.

" _That will do for today."_ The woman stopped the session because the child has already felt uncomfortable to reply all the questions she asked in detail. _"Could you wait for Miss Ives in the receiving office?"_

" _Yes, Dr. Steward. Good day!"_ Florence left the room.

" _I see a wonderful bright young lady with excellent manners by the way and tense relations with her parents. Miss Welch takes her epilepsy as a given. On the other hand, you take it as a burden. Why so?"_

" _I'm just trying to help,"_ said Vanessa.

" _I also have to make a point, that you and Miss Welch have some kind of an incomprehensible bond. Every time I tried to throw dirt on you she spoke in support of the woman she barely knows. This is not illustrative for a child. Children by their nature are selfish. I have to be sincere with you, Miss Ives. There is no cure for epilepsy. Alienists do researches and advance theories but nobody knows the core of the disease. Although, I would like to observe this girl as she has an unusual talent. I would prescribe her some sedatives to ease the symptoms and painkillers for the wounds."_

" _Thank you, Dr. Steward."_

" _That's not all. I would like to see you coming to the sessions every other day at ten o'clock without Miss Welch. You found a purpose in life in this girl but you still have your own 'demons' to fight and this confession is not for child's ears. The cost for two sessions will be 15 shillings."_

" _We are interesting guinea pigs for you, aren't we, Dr. Steward?"_ Vanessa smirked.

" _Won't it be great if I help?"_ The old woman retorted.

" _See you tomorrow, Dr. Steward. Good day."_

Miss Ives took Florence's coat and hat and left the room.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	8. Chapter 8

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 8**

" _It wasn't as terrible as you thought, was it?"_ asked Miss Ives the minute they came out of the building.

" _I shall not come here again, shall I?"_ Florence parried a question.

" _You are going to come here every Monday and Wednesday together with me,"_ was the response.

" _It's just a waste of money! How do you suppose to treat epilepsy by talking for an hour? It's nonsense! If you've given me half of the money you pay for that charlatan, I could have rented somewhere a room to live and in order not to trouble you anymore."_

Vanessa smiled at such a remark. This girl could become a great merchant if she already thinks how to wring money out of the thin air.

" _Is it so bad to live at Grandage place?"_

" _I don't want to be a burden. You need to admit I'm useless. I can't do the household duties. I can't work anywhere else. The only thing I'm capable of is stealing food from delivery baskets,"_ the girl concluded.

" _Florence, look at me, please."_ Vanessa stood in front of the girl to see her dark brown eyes clearly. _"You are a child not a burden. To have a child for every normal person is a blessing not a burden. You don't owe me anything. All I want from you is to be happy."_

" _Miss Ives, you are the weirdest person I ever met but there are thousands of orphan children out there, why should it be me?"_

" _One little girl once told me: 'O altitudo divitiarum sapientiae et scientiae Dei quam inconprehensibilia sunt iudicia eius et investigabiles viae eius'. Maybe it is providence."_ Vanessa beamed. (How unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out!)

" _Fair enough! Now can we go home?"_

" _It's lunchtime already. Why don't we go eat somewhere because, to be honest, I'm sick and tired to cook every day,"_ the woman suggested.

" _I can cook today if you don't mind some blood in your meal,"_ the child proposed giggling.

" _Yuck! How disgusting, Miss Welch! No, right now we will go to one small but cosy place where we'll be served some delicious dishes."_

" _It's a bad idea 'cause you know I can't properly eat with these deep cuts on my hands."_ Florence showed her bandaged hands in gloves as a reminder of her suffering.

" _Yesterday it didn't prevent you from eating the stew. Besides, don't worry I can feed you."_

" _I'm not a cat to feed me!"_ The child pouted. _"I've got a better idea. We can buy fish and chips in the street and eat at home!"_

" _I agree, we are going to eat in the restaurant plain and simple."_ Miss Ives concluded firmly pressing her lips to show that all the following arguments would be in vain. Florence sighed and went after the woman.

" _Miss Ives, what an unexpected pleasure!"_ A young man immediately jumped from his chair to greet Vanessa while she was passing his table.

" _Mr. Gray, glad to see you too!"_ She gave a chilly smile. _"Miss Frankenstein, it's so nice to see you!"_ She gave the blonde woman a searching look, who returned it coolly.

" _Nice to see you too, Miss Ives! Who is your little companion?"_ Lily stared at the girl who had the goose bumps the moment she saw the couple sitting at the table. It was the same strange hallucination as with Dr. Sweet the previous day but here for a blink of an eye Florence saw an old man with dry loose skin covered in ugly pimples and age spots. The woman was even worse. The girl noticed signs of decomposition on her face and chest as Lily had quite a low décolletage. The hallucination lasted for a second but it was so vivid that Florence swayed a little.

" _Florence, are you alright?"_ Vanessa noticed this barely visible movement of girl's body.

" _Yes, Miss Ives, everything's fine!"_ The child gave an assurance that she was alright.

" _This is my cousin's daughter, Miss Florence Welch. Florence, let me present you to my old friends Miss Lily Frankenstein and Mr. Gray."_

" _How do you do, Miss Frankenstein, Mr. Gray,"_ the girl curtseyed.

" _What a lovely girl!"_ Lily exclaimed.

" _Miss Ives, maybe you join us?"_ Mr. Gray invited new guests to sit at their table.

" _I'm afraid adult talks are not for child's ears. Maybe some other time. It was nice to meet you. Mr. Gray, Miss Frankenstein."_ Vanessa made her bet bow, took Florence's hand in hers and led the girl to the table indicated by the headwaiter.

She understood a lot from this encounter. Victor was right a girl from province was an opportunist. Of course, Vanessa couldn't deny the charm and charisma of Mr. Gray, his youth and money were just other advantages for any woman even Miss Ives herself. Mr. Gray was a kind of a local Don Juan. One day she saw him in a company of Angelique, now it was Miss Frankenstein. The truth was that Vanessa couldn't forget her hot night together with Dorian after which she suffered for several months and suffered enormously. This man was a reincarnation of evil, that's why she regretted a lot that Lily chose the monster instead of noble Dr. Frankenstein.

" _Are all your friends like them?"_ The question brought Miss Ives back from the melancholic reverie she was in.

" _Like whom?"_ Vanessa asked to repeat.

" _Like Miss Frankenstein and Mr. Gray?"_

" _No, why? Don't you like them?"_ She looked curiously at the girl who seemed to be paler than usual.

" _Not very much."_

" _Why?"_

" _I don't know they seem like they don't belong here."_ Florence didn't want to tell the truth. Miss Ives already made her going to the alienist if she told her about hallucinations the woman would definitely send her to an asylum.

" _How can you tell that if you don't even know them?"_

" _You weren't too eager to have lunch with them. Why so?"_

" _I don't want everyone asking about your poor hands. That's why I asked for this table. It's in the corner and far from other guests."_ Vanessa explained but admitted that Florence was right.

" _It isn't the whole truth, Miss Ives, and you aware of it. I guess it is not comfortable for you to be in their company. I can't tell why, though."_

" _You are a very astute observer, Miss Welch. However, a child shouldn't interfere in the adult affairs. So, let's close down this topic, shall we?"_ The woman said strictly.

" _Of course, Miss Ives."_ Florence pretended to be reading the menu that lay opened in front of her.

The girl managed not to spill any soup they ordered even without bending her fingers while she was carrying the spoon to her mouth. She ate with the gloves on and her hands seemed bigger than they should be because of the bandages under the gloves but nobody noticed. It was too painful to hold the tea cup, so Miss Ives ordered juice which Florence drank through the straw and some ice-cream which Vanessa fed the girl spoon after spoon.

When the cab stopped near Grandage 8 a boy appeared out of nowhere and approached Miss Ives.

" _Good afternoon, are you the owner of this house, Madame?"_ he asked politely.

A nauseous wave suddenly overwhelmed the child when she looked at the boy. Vanessa also stared at his pale bloodless face but Florence clearly noticed his mouth covered in blood and white protruded fangs as he was speaking. Again the feeling continued for a moment but that was enough for the girl.

" _Yes, sort of. My name is Miss Ives and who's asking?"_ Vanessa was examining his face trying to compare it with Florence's which still wasn't as bloodless as his.

" _A gentleman sent me to give this to Miss Ives."_ He gave Miss Ives a big heavy parcel wrapped in simple brown paper and bound with a pack-thread. Between the pack-tread and the paper was a small enveloped that ran: _'To Miss Ives'_.

" _Thank you!"_ Vanessa took a shilling from her pocket and gave it to the boy who expressed his gratitude and ran away happy to earn so much money for the delivery.

Vanessa opened the letter in the living room.

" _Dear Miss Ives,_

 _I am so sorry that your visit to our museum ended up under unfavorable circumstances. I hope Miss Welch feels much better today. So, I may be permitted to send your niece these two books which, I am sure, will help to answer that intriguing question._

 _I am looking forward to seeing such honored guests of the Natural History Museum back._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Dr. Alexander Sweet"_

" _Miss Welch, I think this is for you."_ Vanessa helped the girl to unwrap the books. One was entitled 'Herpetology' and another 'Arachnids'.

" _Tell Mr. Sweet that it's the most surprising present for a girl of my age. I'll try to do my research on the subject, though."_ Very carefully she took both books from the table and carried them upstairs to her room.

Saturday passed by without any important events. Florence was absorbed in her research and Vanessa sent a 'thank you' letter to Dr. Sweet. Together with the girl walked in the park and cooked dinner. It was mostly Miss Ives duty right now because Florence's hands were still useless even with mostly dried wounds.

The next morning Vanessa woke up to the insistent knock on the door of her room that didn't stop.

" _Come in!"_ She invited in a hoarse voice still half asleep.

" _Good morning, Miss Ives. Can you help me button this blouse 'cause it's a real challenge."_ Florence stood in front of woman's bed fully dressed in her underwear, stockings, skirt and her blouse which really surprised Vanessa.

" _Are you going somewhere?"_ Miss Ives asked just in case quickly buttoning child's clothes.

" _It is Sunday today. I'm going to church."_ She said as a matter of fact.

" _And if it wasn't for the buttons you would sneak from the house without telling me where you are going?"_ Vanessa felt really angry by such negligence to her humble self. She gave this girl shelter, she fed her, dressed and washed her but this little creature didn't even think that maybe it would be necessary to inform her about such an unimportant thing as going somewhere alone.

" _If my fingers worked properly, I would leave you a note and didn't disturb you at all."_ The child confessed not giving it a second thought.

" _Oh, how kind of you to let me know where you are going to!"_

" _I'm sorry, Miss Ives. I won't disturb you anymore in the morning. May I go?"_ The girl didn't understand woman's angry comment. She thought it would be safer to apologize and disappear.

" _No, you may not!"_ Vanessa snapped at the girl getting out of the bed. _"I don't know what relationship was between you and your parents and frankly speaking I don't give a damn. If you are going to live in this house, Miss Welch, I would like you to observe some plain rules. First, when you go somewhere you tell me where you go and how long it would take. Second, if you want to invite somebody, you also have to speak to me. No notes, letters or any other messages on paper I need to be informed about every step you make outside this house. If you disagree, you may get away right now and never come back."_

" _I agree,"_ the child mumbled looking at her shoes. _"Now may I go to church, please?"_

" _No, you may not until I brush up!"_

" _Will you go with me? I thought you didn't like churches."_ Florence couldn't hide her surprise.

" _It doesn't mean that you are going there alone. What if you have a seizure? I should sit here and guess what happened to you?"_ Vanessa washed her face in a hurry.

" _You are exaggerating! I had been roaming the streets of London for almost five months and now I'm forbidden to go to the church alone. This is the most far-fetched idea I've ever heard!"_ The child argued.

" _Want to stay here then obey! If not, the streets are waiting for you!"_

Florence pouted but didn't say a thing.

" _Let me see those hands of yours. You need fresh bandages."_

The child rolled her eyes and showed Vanessa her sore hands.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	9. Chapter 9

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 9**

They came to the church just in time. The preaching hasn't started yet but the crowd was already there. People of all social layers were present mostly of lower classes than of middle classes and a few representatives of the nobility. Miss Ives has forgotten how it was to go to church on Sunday. Everybody were dressed up like on a parade. Even the poor put on their best clothes to look appropriate. Vanessa thought of her long gone childhood when every Sunday she together with her parents went to listen to the sermon. It was a common ritual in her family that the Murrays respected but didn't delve too deep into the subject.

Miss Ives was making her way through the crowd that formed mostly in the end of the church because the first three rows of benches were barely occupied. She realized that Florence was lost somewhere in the crowd only when she stopped right in the middle. Vanessa turned around trying to catch sight of the girl. She saw her standing in the corner behind the last row of benches.

" _Come on, the preaching will start soon, why are you standing here?"_ Vanessa whispered coming closer to the child.

" _First rows are for aristocracy and others are occupied,"_ the child whispered back.

Miss Ives took a deep breath in order not to make a smart remark about the observation, took the girl by the hand and gently led her to the seat.

" _Are these seats occupied?"_ Vanessa asked an old woman who probably came here with her children and grandchildren.

" _No, there is enough space for you two, my dear."_ She mumbled indecipherably because there were a few teeth left in her mouth.

" _Thank you,"_ Vanessa expressed her gratitude and let the girl pass to sit near the old lady.

A priest began a public prayer and the crowd calmed down listening to the monotonous speech. They were sitting in the church for about forty minutes. Vanessa was mostly studying people around her than listening to the priest, when suddenly she felt sudden pain on the spot of her back where the cross was branded. At the same time she heard female screams which sounded somewhere in the middle of the crowd. She heard the hum of voices and turned back to see what was happening. A woman in long not very tidy black dress was tearing her clothes apart as if she wanted to get rid of them.

" _I'm burning! I'm burning! Stop her, stop the witch! Stop the witch! God, how painful!"_ With these words she pointed to the rows where Miss Ives was sitting. The woman screamed herself into fits and flung out of the church. The crowd fell back. People were totally terrified to see that poor woman blister right in front of their eyes. The priest took pathetic attempts to subdue the mob all in vain. Everyone forgot about the prayer. People were more absorbed in what has just happened.

Only now Miss Ives realized that Florence didn't behave the same as everyone present in the church. The girl was staring at the chancel. Her lips were silently moving obviously chanting some prayers. Vanessa noticed stains of blood appearing on the fabric of girl's gloves.

" _Miss Welch!"_ she addressed the child but it didn't produce any effect.

" _Florence!"_ Vanessa gently touched girl's bleeding hand to take her out of that meditative state.

Florence unwillingly looked at the woman as if she has just woken up and didn't understand why she has been treated with such a scant courtesy.

" _Florence, I think we should go, your hands are bleeding again,"_ whispered Miss Ives.

The girl looked at her hands and put one over the other to hide the stains without realizing that the blood was quite visible on the other glove too.

" _Hide them in your pockets and let's go!"_ Miss Ives ordered making the girl obey.

" _Have you seen how pale she was? I thought she was bloodless!"_ spoke a young woman in the crowd.

" _But blisters! I saw them with my own eyes. They appeared out of nowhere!"_ interrupted another gossip girl.

They both stopped speaking when Miss Ives with Florence passed by.

" _Florence, look at me! Are you alright?"_ Vanessa asked when she noticed that the girl swayed a little. _"Can you walk?"_

" _Yes… Yes, can we slow down a bit?"_ The child felt that they have been running while for the Vanessa it was her usual pace.

" _Of course, I'll get a cab."_ The woman proposed but was stopped by Florence.

" _It's only four blocks from the house. I can walk!"_ Tears gushed into girl's eyes because of the pain and exhausting weakness she felt right now.

" _Does it hurt?"_ Vanessa asked with concern as she didn't see how bad the bleeding was. Florence hid her injured hands in the pockets. The child nodded and sniffled. Miss Ives put her hand on child's shoulder pulling the girl closer and they walked home very slowly.

" _Florence, were you listening to the preaching or you began praying right away?"_ The woman started the interrogation. She was pretty sure that the pain of her burn was caused by this little girl.

" _I began praying when the priest started the sermon."_ The child said as if apologizing for her misbehavior.

" _What were you praying about?"_

" _I asked the Lord to bless you, to let me stay with you and then I began citing the prayers for healing and for the protection,"_ the girl confessed still feeling somehow guilty for the circumstances.

" _The prayer for the protection was the last one, wasn't it?"_

" _Yes, it was. Miss Ives, I'm so sorry! I didn't want to ruin another pair of gloves again. I promise, next time I would listen to the priest!"_ She sobbed ashamed by the accident. Florence hasn't been aware that they left the church in a hurry not because of her bleeding hands but because of some other shocking accident.

" _Don't worry about the gloves. I'm an expert of removing bloody stains from clothes,"_ she winked at the girl. _"Have you heard female screams in the church?"_

" _Screams?! No, I heard the voice of the priest, people's whispers. Has anybody been screaming?"_

" _Never mind! Ups!"_ Vanessa pulled the girl closer to balance her fragile body a little as she stumbled. _"When we come home, you'll go to bed. I don't want you to collapse somewhere on the staircase."_

" _Yes, Miss Ives."_

" _Good morning, Miss Ives. Where is Miss Welch?"_ Dr. Steward greeted her patient on Monday.

" _Good morning, Doctor. I let her stay at home. She had another seizure, I suppose."_ Vanessa explained sitting down on the chair.

" _You suppose?"_ Dr. Steward echoed.

" _I found her in the library this morning lying on the floor unconscious. She couldn't tell exactly when she had the seizure but the fire in the mantelpiece died. So, she could have been lying there for more than an hour. Sometimes she comes back right away, but sometimes unconsciousness lasts longer."_

" _When did you find her?"_

" _At 6 a.m. or about that time, I didn't look at the clock. I think she hasn't slept all night after our strange accident yesterday in church."_ The woman explained. Her voice sounded extremely worried for Dr. Steward.

" _What kind of accident?"_

" _Do you believe in supernatural powers, Dr. Steward?"_ Vanessa stared with a challenge at the old woman.

" _I believe in pain, neurosis and delusion our brain can cause, Miss Ives. People see monsters and creatures at night, but it's only in their imagination the unhealthy mind creates. This is what I believe in. This is the object of my research. You may give neurotic illnesses different names but the cause is the same."_

" _May I have a cigarette?"_ Vanessa spotted a package of cigarettes on the table. She needed it just to make this scholar in front of her believe that there are things inexplicable by science.

The doctor proposed her one when suddenly Miss Ives clenched her long slim fingers on doctor's wrist.

" _Miss Ives, release my hand!"_ Mrs. Steward wanted to be in control but she failed.

" _Shhh! Through your skin to your bones crawling like the scorpion up reaching… You have a scar on the back of your neck. Blood!.. You got outside the window. More blood!.. You were hurt by a man… He would have killed you had you not killed him first,"_ Vanessa whispered everything as if she was there when it happened. She released woman's hand. Doctor silently stared at her patient trying to understand how Miss Ives could have known such hidden, intimate things about her.

" _Such things have a name. They are witches. They are vampires. They are Lucifer. They are all those things which walk in your nightmares. Shall we walk together?"_

The woman nodded without a word. She was still quite in a shock after Vanessa's revelation of the past she wanted to forget so much. Nobody knew about it. She came here to forget and now this weird but extremely interesting patient reminded her of who she was.

" _So, tell me about the accident in church,"_ Dr. Steward finally pronounced.

" _Florence wanted to attend a usual Sunday sermon, so I went with her in case she collapses again. The church was quite crowded especially at the back rows. We were a bit late. Instead of listening to the sermon, Miss Welch was praying vey zealous, I reckon, because I felt a throbbing pain in the scar on my back. Suddenly I heard a female scream. The woman of about 35-40 years old was tearing apart her dress screaming that she was burning alive. I don't know, I haven't been very close but people said that they saw burns appearing on her skin. She cried to stop the witch and pointed at me. At least I thought so that very moment. Then she ran outside howling on her way out. I looked at Miss Welch and saw stains of blood on her gloves. I had to shake her a little in order to make her stop praying. The wounds that were dry a day before were bleeding again. I even had to put stiches because bleeding didn't stop."_ Miss Ives told the story as she remembered it.

" _You truly believe that a nine year old child is a so called witch?"_ The doctor asked ironically.

" _No, she's not. I don't know how to explain it but the scar on my back slightly faded. If Miss Welch has some sort of power it doesn't come from the evil spirit."_ Vanessa tried to analyze the things nobody could understand.

" _What's with the woman who flung over so quickly? Because, as I see, she is also involved in some mystical way."_

" _Florence chanted the prayers for healing and protection on my behalf. I think this is the conductor to all the bits of the puzzle."_ Vanessa tried to persuade the skeptical doctor.

" _From my experience I can tell that many patients obviously exaggerate what they see or feel. I can explain the accident in the church as a simple coincidence. Some hysterical woman started crying in the house of God. It has already been proven that the witches tortured and burned during witchcraft trials were either the beauties that extinguished all the others in small communities or mentally ill people, who weren't responsible for their deeds."_ Mrs. Steward insisted on the scientific evidence rather than on some obscure mystical theories.

" _How did I know your most intimate secret, Dr. Steward?"_ Miss Ives retorted obviously not satisfied with the answer.

" _Probably you heard it somewhere. Maybe we have the same acquaintance, I can't tell."_ The old woman didn't want to admit the truth. She couldn't explain it because nobody knew about that. She escaped the prosecution only because there was no evidence of her being present at the crime scene.

Vanessa just shook her head in disapproval.

" _I would like more to hear about your life, Miss Ives. I understand that this girl became a focal point of your small universe at this moment of time, but in order to help you deal with the pain you have, I need to know more about you…"_

And an ordinary session began.

 _ **To be continued….**_

 _ **I would like to express the gratitude to all the readers, especially those who leave comments on this story. Thank you very much!**_


	10. Chapter 10

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 10**

A week has passed. Dr. Sweet was standing in the butcher's house were his loyal thralls lived.

" _Master, five of our kind died this week. Not because of lack of food but because of a strange disease that came as an avalanche. All of them had the same symptoms. Burns started spreading on their skin and then they burst into flames like torches turning into ashes in few minutes."_ One of the thralls spoke.

" _Who was the first to die?"_ asked the man coldly staring at the crowd despising the bloodless servants around him.

" _Sally, she went to the church that day to spy on the girl as you ordered. She felt the pain in the church. When she came back, she was behaving like insane, tearing her clothes apart. We wanted to help, treated her wounds. There were enormous burns deep down her flesh. The woman died in the evening,"_ the thrall explained looking at his feet rather than in his master's eyes.

" _Where were the others who died also spying on the girl?"_ sounded the question.

" _Two of them contacted with sally but others were here all the time doing their chores."_

" _How many have the same symptoms?"_ Dr. Sweet wanted full information on the subject in order to decide what to do.

" _About ten or thirteen,"_ was the response.

" _Were they communicating with each other, maybe working, eating or hunting together?"_

" _I don't know. I have to check,"_ the man apologized for his narrow-minded approach to the problem.

" _Then do it! At least isolate them from others. We need to understand what decimates our kind!"_ The man barked and his eyes turned black.

" _Master, one more thing,"_ said a pale teenager.

" _What?!"_ The man turned his anger to the boy.

" _A woman, a blonde one with white-bluish skin. I think she has a disease or something as she definitely doesn't look like other humans. I've seen her two times in the park where Miss Ives likes to walk with her niece. It's like she is following them as we do. Do we need to take care of her?"_ the boy proposed.

" _No, you shouldn't. If my guess is correct, this girl is not Miss Ives's niece. Maybe the woman, who is following the child everywhere, is her mother. In this case, it works into our favor,"_ Dr. Sweet concluded. _"But I need to establish this theorem. Thank you, John. Good work."_

The boy smiled touched by the unexpected praise from his master. At that very moment he was extremely proud by his wonderful ability to spy on people without being caught at place.

" _Miss Ives, what a coincidence! How was your day?"_ Miss Frankenstein greeted Vanessa when she was walking with Florence in the park. Florence also greeted the blonde woman without any enthusiasm. Again she saw that true and ugly Lily's face that made her nauseous.

" _Miss Frankenstein, good day! And who is your young friend?"_ Miss Ives asked examining an approximately fifteen year old girl who was accompanying Lily.

" _This is my protégé, Justine Smith. Her mother, my good friend, sent her here to learn social graces. I'm not sure that I am a good teacher but I'm trying to do my best."_ Lily winged it up. _"Justine, this is Miss Vanessa Ives and her adorable niece, Miss Florence Welch."_ The woman beamed at the girl, the latter moved closer to Vanessa.

" _How do you do, Miss Ives, Miss Welch,"_ the girl nodded not sure if she had to shake hands or not.

" _Nice to meet you, Miss Smith,"_ echoed the dark haired woman turning back to Miss Frankenstein. _That shouldn't be a challenge for a woman who always shines at balls,"_ Vanessa made an attempt to nettle the woman. _"How is your cousin, Miss Frankenstein? Haven't seen him for ages."_ she grinned broadly pretending to be polite.

" _Oh, Victor. He's doing well, works double tides as usual. You know him, a passionate genius who likes what he's doing more than the world around him."_ The woman emphasized not feeling very comfortable about the direction of this conversation. So, she quickly changed the subject. _"We were buying some sweets at Terry's. Here you are, Miss Welch."_ Lily gave Florence and bar of chocolate with a teddy bear print on it.

" _Thank you, Miss Frankenstein!"_ The girl expressed her gratitude clumsily taking the gift with both hands in order not to show how painful it was for her to move fingers.

" _Your niece is a total charm! I hope you come to dine with us sometimes at Mr. Gray's house,"_ she invited Vanessa and the girl.

" _Oh, you are so kind! Unfortunately, she hasn't been feeling very well lately. We're just coming back from the doctor."_

" _Nothing serious I hope?"_ Lily seemed extremely concerned over the information Vanessa has revealed.

" _She's asthmatic. Doctors don't know the exact cause of it. It could be allergy or anxiety. We try to figure out,"_ Vanessa looked at the child who was listening to the woman with curiosity.

" _Oh, I see. Wish you to be as fit as a fiddle, Miss Welch. And still hope to see you both at our place."_ She addressed to the girl.

Florence thanked the woman once again, said "good bye" and followed Miss Ives home. Vanessa took the chocolate bar and hid it safely in the huge pocket of her skirt.

" _Why don't you like her?"_ asked the child.

" _Why I don't like whom?"_

" _Miss Frankenstein,"_ Florence made it clear.

" _I don't know her quite well. Besides, she broke heart of one of my best friends,"_ Vanessa explained. _"Do you like her? We can pay a visit if you want to."_

" _No, thanks. I'd rather stay at home and read."_

" _Why? Miss Smith seems to be a good young lady. You can play with her."_

" _I'm nine and she's fourteen or fifteen. What do we have in common?"_ The child argued.

" _You need to have friends. Why were you so cold with the girl in the park who wanted to play with you yesterday?"_ Vanessa reminded the girl about her behavior.

" _She wanted to make a garland from leaves. How I could do that if I could barely bend my fingers?!"_

" _Still you need to have friends!"_ The woman insisted.

" _I already have,"_ Florence looked at Vanessa and smiled. She would take woman's hand in hers if it wasn't so painful.

" _No, I don't count. You need to socialize with children of your age."_ Though, she was proud to hear such words from the child. At least Florence started to see her not as a landlady who hired this little girl to tidy up the house.

" _It is the most boring thing ever! What would I talk about: how beautiful a doll is or what silly thing Katy did yesterday? You know they'll run away the minute I begin citing Odyssey or discuss 'Leviathan' by Thomas Hobbes. By the way, you speak about my friends but I haven't seen yours, except this strange woman and Mr. Gray. Maybe they are imaginary."_ Florence teased again.

" _What?! When I catch you, you'll see what imaginary friends I have!"_ and the woman ran after the girl who was running away giggling.

They came home quite out of puff but in a good mood. Vanessa established a schedule for the child. Breakfast in the morning, some time to read a book or just to chat about anything Florence wanted, then a visit to Dr. Steward either with the girl or without her, after that came lunch. Miss Ives insisted on girl's midday sleep. Then they went together in the park or somewhere else to walk a bit. In the evening Florence read to Vanessa while she was cooking dinner. The woman also included some lessons on Mathematics, Science and other subjects which she taught herself or they played some board games that Vanessa has recently bought.

The routine was overwhelming but very productive. She remembered the days spent with Mr. Chandler at the Ballentree Moor. There they took care of each other as a small family not stepping over some relationship lines that would hurt both of them afterwards. Here it was the same but different because now Vanessa feared for the little girl. She didn't let her go anywhere alone and tried to come home as quick as possible after the sessions with Dr. Steward. Miss Ives got used to Florence's encyclopaedic talks. As all children of her age the girl lacked analytical thinking which Vanessa tried to develop. This evening they both sat near the fireplace analyzing a poem by Longfellow.

Two days later Mr. Renfield came to the butcher's house to see his master.

" _What can you tell me about the girl, son?"_ Dr. Sweet approached a tall pale man without greeting him.

" _She is not Miss Ives's relative. She's a random girl from the street. Her father mistreated her and she ran away. As I understood it was a million to one chance for her to be so lucky,"_ he confessed.

" _Yet, HE thought about that! If this little beast lives with the only woman we need to cast this world down into chaos. Does Florence have any clue of who she really is?"_ The man continued his interrogation well aware that everyone else listens to them.

" _Not at all, that old witch, Dr. Steward, teaches her to forget things instead of remembering some core events. By the way, there's something wrong with girl's memory. She can remember herself from the year of two every day in detail. She can describe every person whom she saw in the street and what he or she spoke about. She can quote every book she read or cite every story she heard. Isn't it amazing for a nine year old?"_ The man was so agitated that he shot the information in one long monotonous sentence.

" _That's a huge disadvantage for us. This means she already understood that Miss Ives is followed up wherever she might go. That's why I want more of you to be in charge of the watch. Disguise yourself, when one is following on one street another is keeping track on the other."_ He ordered the thralls.

" _What should we do with the disease, my Lord? Seven more of us have the same symptoms,"_ a man from the crowd spoke.

" _Did you identify its source?"_

" _Everyone was treating the wounds of those who already got the disease. The first was Sally who was contaminated in the church."_ The man explained.

" _Who followed them to the church this week?"_

" _I did,"_ a fourteen year old boy echoed from the crowd.

" _Did you feel anything?"_ Dr. Sweet asked turning his gaze to the boy.

" _No, nothing at all."_

" _Either she is too weak or the girl didn't perform anything she did the previous time. Nevertheless, when you see her try to keep distance and never, I repeat, never touch her skin. Even for me her touch is poisonous."_ He emphasized the last sentence.

" _What should we do with the ill?"_ enquired the man.

" _Isolate them and let them die. We can't cure the disease sent by the God himself but we will have our revenge!"_

" _How?"_ A murmur ran through the ranks of thralls.

" _Mr. Renfield, you said that Miss Welch was mistreated by her father. In what way?"_

" _He gambled her away,"_ Mr. Renfield said without hesitation or disgust.

" _To whom?"_

" _To a man."_

" _And what happened?"_

" _Nothing, she ran away."_ The man didn't understand the reason of the last question.

" _You all know that to kill an angel means an eternity in oblivion. You won't be wiped away only from this world but also your soul will be wiped away from the universe itself. I won't lie to you, as I don't have the power to kill the right hand of God, but people were always inventive in finding a way. Even the son of God went to long rest. If it is impossible to kill her, we will clip her wings. The battle has just begun!"_ He roared to the crowd which responded the call.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	11. Chapter 11

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 11**

Miss Ives and Miss Welch were passing the Natural History Museum when they saw Mr. Sweet going in their direction.

" _Miss Ives, Miss Welch, haven't seen you for ages!"_ He greeted the woman and the girl. _"I'm glad to see you in good health, Miss Welch. I hope that unpleasant experience didn't lead to a biased attitude towards the place. It would be quite a shame to lose such a curious mind."_

" _Thank you, Sir. I feel much better and No, I'm sure I would like to see some new pieces."_ Florence pronounced, though, again for a blink of an eye she saw dark hollow spaces on Dr. Sweet's face which made her nauseas.

" _Did those books help to answer that intriguing question?"_ Doctor enquired.

" _Yes, they did. But I'm not satisfied with the response."_

" _Why?"_

" _Whatever the situation is a snake wins either by its brisk attack, poison or size. Of course, as you've mentioned previous time they are a lot of variables and in some cases there is a chance for a scorpion to win the battle, nevertheless, the snake should be tiny or non-venomous."_ The child explained competently.

" _This is a creditable answer. If I haven't seen a child standing in front of me, I would have said that I was talking to a well-known scholar. Don't tell me, Miss Welch, that you've read both books from cover to cover,"_ he somehow praised the girl showing his blank amazement.

" _I'm afraid I have, Sir. Miss Ives helped me to analyze everything, thought."_ The girl shrugged her shoulders shyly.

" _Yes, that's true!"_ Vanessa nodded with a proud smile on her face as if Dr. Sweet was talking about her own daughter.

" _This is unbelievable to read and analyze two huge folios in two weeks! I think we should hire you, Miss Welch, as a junior research associate!"_ He said sincerely praising the girl, though, the information gave him food for thought. The girl was dangerous with her supernatural ability not just to cause plague on his followers but also analyze things like a grown up.

" _Oh, I think we'll postpone this tempting offer for, let's say, 3 or 4 years."_ Miss Ives teased the scholar.

" _That's not fair but alas! I can't argue with such an overprotective aunt!"_ He responded jokingly turning to the girl. _"Why don't you like the result of the research, Miss Welch?"_

" _Snakes are disgusting!"_ The girl said taking Vanessa's hand in hers.

" _At least one sincere childish answer!"_ Dr. Sweet chuckled.

Of course, it was childish but Florence didn't trust the man with black abyss eyes as well as Mr. Renfield with his pale face and blood-dripping mouth. How could she say that a serpent was the seducer who casted people down on the sinful earth instead of letting them wash in God's glory and mercy. Snakes were created to crawl in the dirt and serve their evil masters. The girl didn't fancy scorpions either but they seemed nobler than snakes.

" _Miss Ives, you didn't give me the opportunity to return the favor of that great cinematographic event about captain Nemo."_

" _Oh, don't mention it, Mr. Sweet. I'm glad you enjoyed it."_ Vanessa grinned at the doctor.

" _No, no, no! It would be totally impolite not to invite you and Miss Welch to a fair with all its attributes mimes, clowns, mysticism and a lot of really amusing things. What about Friday at 4 p.m.?"_ The man proposed eagerly.

Vanessa first looked at the girl then smiled.

" _That would be nice!"_ the woman accepted the invitation.

" _Then I'll see you at Limehouse at 4 o'clock on Friday. Now, if you excuse me, I have to attend a meeting."_ He bowed and went to the museum.

" _So, Miss Frankenstein. Now I see that Justine was right, you are really stalking Miss Ives. May I ask why?"_ Mr. Gray appeared behind Lily who leaned around the corner to pry about the girl and the woman. His unexpected apparition startled the blonde woman a bit.

" _What are you doing here, Dorian?"_ Being off guardLily didn't find anything better to say.

" _You know I am in this part of London for business affairs but I don't see any reason for you to be here, Lily. Why are you spying on Miss Ives?"_ He emphasized.

" _Miss Ives? I'm not interested in her but the child. This little girl is so innocent, she reminds me my Sarah. Her soul is in this child I know it! I invited them for dinner last week but Miss Ives… Miss Ives… She lied to me… telling that the girl is ill. I thought it was some kind of physical illness but she makes her see the mental doctor. Tell me, please, why this refined, callous woman let this little girl suffer?"_

Dorian Gray clearly saw tears forming in Lily's eyes.

" _You can ask yourself as they are coming here,"_ he whispered back seeing Vanessa and Florence approaching the corner where they were hiding together with Miss Frankenstein.

Lily made a step forward nearly bumping into the girl.

" _Oh, I'm so sorry, child."_ She pretended she didn't recognize Florence.

" _Don't worry ma'am,"_ Miss Welch responded quickly not paying attention to the woman.

" _Miss Frankenstein, Mr. Gray! Today is a day of unexpected meetings!"_ Miss Ives greeted the couple.

Only now the girl realized who the people where: an infamous ugly old man and a rotten corpse of the lady. She had to blink twice to shake the disgusting image away.

" _Miss Ives, Miss Welch, it's a pleasure to see you too,"_ Mr. Gray exchanged courtesies.

" _How is your little angel, Miss Ives? How do you feel, my dear?"_ Lily murmured too excited to see the child standing so close to her.

" _I'm better, Miss Frankenstein. The chocolate helped a lot, thank you,"_ Florence expressed her gratitude taking Vanessa's hand in hers as if looking for support. Miss Ives gripped girl's hand gently.

Lily beamed with the most cunning smile she could produce.

" _I'm glad to hear that, Miss Welch. Isn't she charming?"_ Miss Frankenstein turned to Mr. Gray.

" _How is your protégé Miss Smith?"_ Vanessa interrupted his flow of thoughts.

" _Oh, she is a wonderful young lady. Why don't you come to my place for lunch, Miss Ives? I'm sure Justine would be thrilled to communicate with someone so educated and delicate as Miss Welch."_ The man invited.

" _To my mind it would be quite boring for a young lady of Miss Smith's age to chat with a nine year old. But why not? Let's give it a try!"_ Vanessa agreed to a huge disappointment of Florence.

" _So, will tomorrow be convenient for you?"_ asked Mr. Gray.

" _Yes, of course. What time?"_

" _At 1 p.m."_

" _Yes, very well. Tomorrow at 1 p.m. Thank you for the invitation! We'll come. Now if you excuse us, Miss Welch has a class on Natural sciences in an hour. It wouldn't be nice to let her teacher wait."_ She said 'good bye' and went to get a cab not letting go of the little girl's hand.

When Vanessa and the child disappeared from their sight, Lily asked.

" _Why did you do that?"_

She couldn't fail to notice how hard was for Miss Ives to speak so nonchalantly to Mr. Gray.

" _Did I do what?"_ He echoed really satisfied by this innocent invitation to see the woman again. Last time at the ball she fainted nobody knows what. Now she is taking care of this strange child who seemed like an ordinary filthy nine year olds no more no less. But at last Miss Ives would be in his company once again. This mysterious woman has been haunting his mind since the day of their violent encounter.

" _Why did you play along?"_

" _I'm curious to see how innocence meets complete debauchery. Are you sure that it was a good idea to introduce Miss Welch to our Justine?"_ He moistened his lips in expectation of a marvelous performance.

" _How can you say this? She is just a little girl. I won't let anyone touch this child!"_ She snapped and glared angrily at the man.

" _First, you teach Justine to release her feelings on the man who abused her and we, admit it, f… her afterwards. Now you are trying to be a godmother for the girl you don't even know. Tell me, did I miss anything?"_ The man spitted back.

" _I won't let anyone hurt this child!"_ She hissed.

Why did she always have to see those ugly, scary things she didn't want. Was it a curse or something? Was the Almighty testing her strong faith? Florence tried not to look at Miss Frankenstein and the owner of this splendid but uncomfortable house with all the portraits in it. Still the second her eyes caught the glimpse of them, the picture of their true nature shone out. The girl took a deep breath and went into the dining room where the table has already been laid.

" _Oh, my God! Miss Welch, what happened to your hands?"_ Lily gently touched girl's hand to see but immediately let it go because it felt like a lightening strike. The woman nearly fell down on the floor if Mr. Gray didn't support her. Lily was in a shock. Her whole life ran in this brisk flash of a lightening. She remembered herself as a girl, when all her men, her first born child and the pain of losing it. She felt her lungs filling with blood again and the touch of Victor who brought her back to life.

" _Miss Frankenstein, are you alright?"_ Vanessa asked staring at Lily who became whiter than the most expensive paper in London.

" _Yes, yes. I'm fine!"_ She whispered in a trembling voice.

The child suffered tremendous pain for a while. So she gritted her teeth for nobody to see it and began praying to God asking for her wounds not to bleed again.

" _What happened to this little girl?"_

" _Miss Welch likes to sneak into forbidden places like, for instance, the cellar where Mr. Malcolm keeps a lot of stuff such as old boards with huge rusty nails in them. She played there while I was out. She stumbled and fell right on those horrible nails. Three weeks passed, though, the wounds are still aching,"_ explained Miss Ives.

" _Poor child, what a terrible accident!"_ replied the blonde woman.

" _Yes, at least the lesson was learned, wasn't it, Miss Welch?"_

" _Of course, Ma'am,"_ the girl sighed with relief when the pain became not so acute.

During lunch Mr. Gray noticed child's peculiarity. On the one hand, the girl was too smart for her age. On the other hand, it didn't stop her to behave like a nine year old. Florence played with the food if she didn't like it. She swung her legs and was rather clumsy as she nearly spilt her glass of water all over the table if Miss Ives didn't prevent it from falling.

They were chatting about different things. Justine seemed to be more interested in Miss Ives than the girl sitting next to the woman but because of politeness she didn't ask her a lot of questions. Mr. Gray was mostly talking to the girl with an unceasing admiration of her erudition, while Lily was telling Vanessa the exquisite story of her protégé. When lunch was over and tea was served in two rooms one for adults and one for children, the situation was quite comical because Miss Frankenstein spent a few minutes with Miss Ives and excused herself to see what children were doing. Vanessa remained face to face with Dorian which was awkward and uncomfortable, she stayed, though.

They sat in deafening silence for some time drinking tea.

" _I see Miss Frankenstein has a good influence at you, Mr. Gray,"_ Vanessa admitted taking a small cigarette case and asking the permission to smoke.

" _I thought, it's Dorian, but alas! I don't know what you are talking about."_

" _Pardon me, but modesty doesn't fit you, Dorian. I mean taking care of Miss Smith. Lily told me that you found the girl begging in the street and let her live in this house."_

" _Oh, that! That was Miss Frankenstein's idea. She wants to save all poor children. It seems to me in the end of this year I have to open an orphanage."_ He said petulantly. _"What I've never imagined that I would be surrounded by whining and naughty children. Your niece is a total contrast to any child I've seen in my life. The same as her aunt, I suppose."_

Vanessa wanted to say something but she didn't have a chance as scared Justine ran into the room.

" _Mr. Gray, Miss Frankenstein has lost her consciousness! I can't bring her round!"_

Vanessa and Dorian hurried to the living room.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **Dear readers,**_

 _ **Thank you very much for sending your reviews. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 12**

Florence was standing beside Lily's unconscious form in a complete shock. Tears streamed down her face and she was shaking uncontrollably.

" _It wasn't me. It wasn't me,"_ she repeated again and again her lips trembling at each word she pronounced.

" _Hey, of course, it wasn't you."_ Vanessa kneeled in front of the girl to look into her eyes to take her out of this reverie. _"Florence, look at me. Everything is alright. Nobody blames you."_

" _Don't worry, Miss Welch. It's just female hysteria. I think Miss Frankenstein was too excited to see such special guests in our house. She'll be fine."_ Mr. Gray checked Lily's unsteady pulse and carried her limp body into another room asking Justine on the way to find some smelling salts.

" _Tell me how it happened,"_ Miss Ives half asked half ordered.

" _We were drinking tea. She talked to me about the things I like doing. She looked somehow very strange at me…"_ The girl stopped at this point.

" _What do you mean by 'strange'?"_

" _She looked at me like… like I was a thing that she lost long time ago but now she's found it. I don't know how to explain,"_ the girl sniffed.

" _That's alright, that's alright. What happened next?"_ Vanessa took a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe away the tears from child's face.

" _She said I'm a very educated child and touched my face with her palm."_ The girl took a deep breath to continue. Vanessa patiently waited. _"Then she collapsed and had convulsions the same as I have, as if it had to be me lying on the floor not her!"_

" _So, maybe Miss Frankenstein has the same condition you do,"_ Vanessa assumed.

" _No, it wasn't the same seizures. Her body was shaking all over like she was shivering from freezing cold."_ The child told the truth except one little thing she didn't want to say aloud. The touch of the woman caused enormous pain in girl's chest. Florence thought she would suffocate and the pain would tear apart her fragile body. The girl also didn't know about the effect of electricity on the body, otherwise, she would have given a more detailed description rather than this concise report.

Miss Ives was aware of what the girl could be capable of, but even the slightest idea that Florence might do something so drastic, as to knockout a strong adult woman, appeared to be no more but nonsense.

" _Wait here, please. I'll see how Miss Frankenstein is doing."_ Vanessa left the girl in the same room tea and went to inquire after Lily's health. She found Justine standing at the staircase. The teen looked somehow scared. So, she sent her back to Florence.

" _How is she?"_ Vanessa entered the bedroom that Miss Ives remembered so intimately.

" _The paradox is, I can't wake her up. She is in some catatonic state, I would say, if I were a doctor, but we both know I'm not,"_ the man confessed standing up from the side of the bed where he was sitting all this time. It wasn't the coincidence that he brought Lily in this very room, his bedroom. It was a challenge for both of them and he knew it.

" _Florence said she had some weird convulsions before going into this state,"_ said the woman boldly approaching the bed. _"It'll be wise to call a doctor if neither of us can help poor Miss Frankenstein."_ Vanessa carefully brushed some locks from blonde woman's pale face.

" _Yes, I'll send for one immediately."_ The man agreed understanding very well that any sane doctor would be amazed to see a living dead corpse except maybe one who created it. He kept these thoughts to himself being sure that Miss Ives was in the dark about Lily's unusual condition.

" _I think we should go. Miss Welch was quite frightened by this unexpected accident. Thank you for lunch. Please, let me know about Miss Frankenstein wellbeing. Good afternoon, Mr. Gray."_

Soon the woman left the house together with the girl. Florence was too silent all the way home. They entered the house and while the child was going upstairs Vanessa heard a stifled cry and saw the girl falling down only an inch of hat's fabric preventing girl's temple to hit the edge of the step. Miss Ives ran to the girl whose limbs crooked at terrible angles and saliva ran down at one side of her twisted mouth.

Until late in the evening the child had three seizures in a row. Florence was exhausted and all her body was aching because of muscles contractions. She was lying in her bed weeping silently in terror fearful of another seizure to come. Miss Ives gave the girl so much sedative that it would have sedated a dinosaur by now but nothing worked on Florence. Miss Ives was desperate. So, she came into girl's room, put aside the white rabbit, Mr. De Lynd, which was comfortably lying on the pillow next to the girl, and covered herself with Florence's blanket. She was already wearing her nightgown and her hair was let down.

" _Tell me a bedtime story,"_ she asked in her most childish voice.

It was sudden and unexpected so the girl even stopped weeping.

" _What?"_ she turned to look at the woman who was tucked under her blanket with the rabbit in her hands.

" _I won't sleep if you don't tell a fairy tale,"_ Miss Ives repeated in the same voice behaving like a five year old. She was lying in bed, throwing the rabbit up and catching it with both hands.

" _I don't know any stories,"_ Florence whispered not eager to get involved into this game.

" _You always say so! When I ask for something you're always busy or away! If you don't, I start crying!"_ The woman made such a face that Florence really believed she would start crying.

" _Fine, what story would you like to listen to,"_ the girl agreed to play along. At least maybe it'll help her forget about the pain in all her joints.

" _An interesting one with wizards, magic and princesses."_

" _Just one condition, you'll stop throwing Mr. De Lynd in the air and you close your eyes,"_ the girl proposed.

Vanessa seemed to be a very obedient child. She immediately did as she was told and Florence began her long thrilling story. When the girl finished the fairy tale the candles came nearly to the end and Miss Ives was sound asleep. Florence had nothing else to do than to blow off the candles and go to sleep.

Mr. Gray sent for Dr. Frankenstein, who was so absorbed with his new project with Dr. Jekill, that he came to see his so called 'cousin' only late in the evening.

" _Good evening, Doctor. Please, come in."_ Dorian greeted his new guest for today.

" _What was the emergency?"_ asked Victor taking off his coat.

" _Miss Frankenstein lost consciousness today and hasn't come round yet, which worries me a lot. As we both know about her interesting state, I sent for you to solve this mystery."_ The slim man explained leading Victor to the guest room where he put Lily. To ask Doctor in love to go to his own bedroom would be extremely inappropriate in this dodgy situation.

" _How long ago did she lose consciousness?"_ Victor required doing the examination of the woman not paying attention to the teen girl sitting in the arm-chair near the bed.

" _Long enough to come back. We had lunch with Miss Ives and her little niece. Then kids went to drink tea in another room and Lily went with them while I and Miss Ives were smoking cigarettes in the studio. Suddenly Justine came and said that Lily collapsed to the floor. We tried to revive her with smelling salts, ammonia liquid. I even prickled her with a pin, nothing! She's still breathing and her heart is still beating but she doesn't come to consciousness."_ The dark haired man explained everything.

" _Yeah, the pulse is unsteady and the breathing is shallow. I'll try an injection of adrenaline maybe it'll help,"_ said Dr. Frankenstein taking the syringe from the medical box.

The injection helped. As if startled Lily took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

" _Victor, Victor! I'm so sorry! Please, forgive me for everything I've done. I beg you, please,"_ she cried.

" _Miss Frankenstein, calm down._ Caught by surprise poor Dr. Frankenstein tried to get rid of Lily's hands which clasped on his. _"Lily, please, calm down."_ On the one hand, the man was pleased that the woman showed at least any feeling towards him. On the other hand, the young man was completely embarrassed by this revelation. The timing and place were totally wrong.

Mr. Gray just smirked. At least she was back, which was nice for now.

" _Do you remember anything?"_ Mr. Gray addressed his lover, who couldn't stop the tears falling down on her nightgown. Only now she understood that the room was lit by candles.

" _Florence did I scare her? Where are they?"_ She looked around the room in search for the woman and the child.

" _Lily, you have been unconscious since lunchtime. They had already gone home."_ Dorian said as a matter of fact.

" _I need to go. I need to apologize. This little girl she showed her mercy. We need to forgive our enemies."_ She said trying to stand up and go somewhere.

" _Lily, what's wrong with you? It's 10 p.m. Who are you going to apologize to?"_ Mr. Gray became really angry with the stupid euphoria of the woman.

" _Victor, you. You gave me the life again but I betrayed you. Instead, I changed your ardent heart for wealth and money. I changed my life for hatred which was the hugest mistake. My dear Justine, I've told you lies since the day we liberated you from those decadent bastards but now I see, everything I'd done was wrong. Oh, so wrong that I'll be burning in hell for the rest of my life. It's still not too late, not too late to ask for forgiveness. I'm so sorry that I betrayed both of you, that I made you suffer."_ Miss Frankenstein stood up and was going to Victor then to Justine taking them by their hands and apologizing. It looked like a performance of a mentally sick woman at the hospital Mr. Frankenstein has just come from.

It took them an hour to calm her down. It would have been impossible if Victor hadn't given her a very strong sedative.

" _Who's the girl, whose name she so frequently used in her speech?"_ Dr. Frankenstein asked wanting to find the answer what caused this strange behavior.

" _Miss Ives's niece, Florence Welch,"_ replied Dorian totally exhausted by this long day.

" _Correct me if I'm wrong, but Miss Ives doesn't have any brothers or sisters. She's an only child."_ Victor couldn't believe what he heard.

" _No, it's a daughter of her cousin who died half of the year ago. Her father is crushed down by grief, so he sent the girl to Miss Ives,"_ Mr. Gray explained. Right now he also doubted the story told by Vanessa.

" _Oh, I see. Still she has never told me a word about it. I'm glad that she's alright, though. I hope she finds peace in this child. She deserves it, our Miss Ives."_ Victor looked at Mr. Gray's reaction to this innocent comment. Man's face remained unreadable as usual.

" _Thank you for your help, Dr. Frankenstein."_ Mr. Gray stood up from the chair to see the late guest off.

" _I'll check on Miss Frankenstein tomorrow morning if you don't mind,"_ the doctor suggested hoping to see his first love once again.

" _Yes, of course, Doctor. See you tomorrow, then. Good night."_ Mr. Gray opened the door and let the man out.

Victor walked home deep in thought because he saw some barely visible changes on Lily's body.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	13. Chapter 13

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 13**

" _Good morning! I wonder what are you doing here so early in the morning?"_ Vanessa came into the kitchen to see Florence putting some strange flowers made of dough into boiling oil in the pot. When dough touched oil the latter sizzled and to woman's amazement she saw the flower growing bigger and turning into pretty pastry thing.

" _Good morning, Miss Ives. I couldn't sleep, didn't want to wake you,"_ said the girl infatuated with the process. She took a spotted spoon and fished out the flower putting it carefully onto a huge dish where three more flowers were already waiting for their match.

" _What is this?"_ asked the woman crushing one of the flower's petals and putting it into her mouth. _"It's very tasty and beautiful!"_

" _Hey! It's not ready yet!"_ grumbled the child taking the plate with crunchy flowers away from Miss Ives's sticky fingers.

" _Do you feel better?"_ asked the woman looking at how skillfully the girl is splashing another flower into boiling oil.

" _I hope so."_ The child shrugged her shoulders.

" _You hope so?! Florence, why are you then in the kitchen preparing something with boiling oil?"_ Vanessa tried to sound strict.

" _If it's my destiny to burn myself with boiling oil, do you think I'll be able to escape it?"_ Florence answered not giving a damn about being in danger all the time.

" _That's why you push your luck?"_ Miss Ives took the spotted spoon from child's hands making the girl obey only by a threatening look that she gave her.

" _I could have been right now in the street somewhere seeking for a crust of bread. Why don't you let me at least do something useful?"_ the girl objected.

" _That's what you feel? Florence, you don't owe me or anybody else anything. I'm glad that you're here, that I can help at least by providing you with shelter. Unfortunately, I'm powerless to do more."_

" _Thank you for staying with me yesterday."_ Florence sat at the chair while Vanessa was frying pastry.

" _Shameful as it is, I was sleeping like a log,"_ the woman confessed in a tone of apology.

" _Still, you could have locked me in the basement not to listen to my weeping or to see those ugly seizures. Sometimes I have such a pain in the joints that I howl. Yesterday was really bad."_ She started crying remembering one seizure coming after another.

Without many words Miss Ives approached the girl and hugged her.

" _Today it'll be better. Nobody will ever lock you in the basement."_

To her surprise the child clasped arms around her waist burying her curly head in plaits of the robe. Suddenly child's body jerked, her head went back and eyes rolled up. Vanessa pressed Florence to herself holding her tightly. The woman made sure that the girl didn't suffocate in this unhealthy embrace. When the seizure was over Miss Ives took the child in her arms and put her on the sofa in Mr. Malcolm's studio. Then she ran back to the kitchen because one of the flowers burned to ashes, so the smell was totally unpleasant. She had to open the back door in order to let some fresh air into the room.

 **Mr. Gray's house**

" _Dr. Frankenstein, thank you for coming so early,"_ said Mr. Gray greeting Victor at the door.

" _How is she?"_ Without deigning to look at the host Victor went strictly upstairs to the room where Lily was.

The picture he found there was horrible. All covered in cadaveric lividity the blonde woman was lying in bed barely breathing.

" _Victor, my dear Victor. I'm… I'm so glad to see you,"_ she pronounced in a hoarse voice wheezing air inside her dead lungs.

" _My God, Lily! That's impossible! The resurrection is an irreversible process. You're immortal if nobody takes your head off. You should stay healthy forever."_ Dr. Frankenstein couldn't believe his eyes. His new born female creature was dying right there on the bed and he couldn't do anything because he didn't know how to stop the deterioration of her body. The smell in the room was disgusting. It smelled of rotting flesh.

" _It's nothing, Victor. It's better believe me. I shouldn't have been here for so long. Now I understand this. Soon I'll be with my pretty Sarah. This was the only good thing I did in my life."_ She asked for some water and Dorian gave her a glass to sip from it. _"Dorian, please, take care of Justine. I treated her wrong from the very beginning, I'm so sorry. Please, ask Miss Ives to guide her. She has the brightest and biggest soul I've ever met. And Dorian, ask Miss Welch to pray for me, the most beautiful thing in my life was seeing her. Tell her I'll love her forever."_

 **Grandage Place**

Vanessa fried all pastry straws while waiting for the child to revive from her slumber state. She made sure that the girl wouldn't fall down on the floor by putting three chairs close to the sofa where she left Florence. Miss Ives was dredging the flowery pastry with icing sugar when child reappeared in the kitchen.

" _Miss Ives, may I go to church?"_ was the first thing the girl asked.

" _Only after breakfast if you are strong enough to walk, I'm not going to scramble your weak body from the pavement."_ She gave the girl a steely glance, took the plate with pastry in one hand and a tray with tea in the other and went to the library where they already got used to eat.

" _I can go by myself,"_ pouted the girl offended by woman's comment.

" _Yeah, and I can fly to the moon and back. As I recall we already spoke about it in detail. Remind me, please, what decision we arrived at?"_ Vanessa said sarcastically.

" _That I'm not allowed to go anywhere alone,"_ mumbled the girl.

" _That's correct. The same I told you about cooking and being near the open fire. What do I see?"_

Florence looked at her feet not having much to say. She felt as a little kitten being scolded for peeing in its owner's shoes.

" _Bring me the post, please, and let's have some breakfast. By the way, if you do once again something that you're not allowed to, I'll buy all the imaginary dolls and fluffy toys put them in every visible place in your room and make you play with them for a week,"_ Vanessa threatened the child, who immediately went into the hall to take the post.

For all other children in the world Vanessa's threat was a dream coming true but not for this girl. Florence despised toys, especially dolls and fluffy toys. The only toy made of fabric was the rabbit presented by the woman at the first week of their acquaintance. Since then Florence accepted just board games or bricks from which she made castles. She also had wooden farm animals, a horse and a cab with a mouse at a place of a coachman. Miss Ives knew that the girl liked very much a house that she saw in the toy shop. It was a cardboard constructor where the child had to build everything by him or herself. The woman bought it, but was hesitant to give it to Florence because of girl's damaged hands. Maybe today the time has come.

Vanessa opened the letter that finally came from Sir Murray that ran:

" **Dear Vanessa,**

 **Travelling now bound to the Americas, I have in mind to do some hunting. Your last letter gave me hope, as I haven't received anything from you for a long time. It's a pity you didn't like to share your feelings with me. If I knew earlier I would come, but unfortunately, now I am in the middle of the Atlantic and cannot turn the ship back.**

 **The thought of you staying alone haunted by the past cut me to the heart. Knowing your combative spirit, though, I am glad you found strength to fight the apathy and see the world around you. As for the child, who brought you to life, on the one hand, I praise her for being bold enough to contradict you. On the other hand, I advise you to be cautious because orphan children raised in violence can be dangerous especially if this girl is as smart as you say and has some dubious friends. That's why I would recommend you to find Miss Welch a good place in an orphanage, where she will be taken care of. I think your leveled head will help you to take actions.**

 **I hope from now on you will take care of yourself while I am far away.**

 **Yours truly,**

 **Malcolm Murray."**

" _Is it from your friend?"_ asked the girl examining Vanessa's face while she was reading the letter.

" _Yes, it's from Sir Malcolm Murray. He's heading to North America."_ She said not giving the other details.

" _This is awesome! It's the man who discovered half of the African continent! I've never been farther than London,"_ confessed Florence.

" _I've also travelled throughout our country and visited France and Italy once with parents. I'm not much of a traveler I suppose,"_ Miss Ives admitted watching how Florence was playing with pastry instead of eating it. _"So, why church? Today is Friday anyway."_

" _I don't know maybe I'll feel better."_

" _Can't you pray in your room? You have the crucifix there, do you think that the Almighty would hear you only in the church?"_ The woman teased the child a little.

" _You don't need to go if you don't want to!"_ snapped the girl.

" _We are not going anywhere until you eat at least something,"_ retorted Miss Ives.

Finally an hour later a woman and a child entered the church. Vanessa sat on the bench while Florence went to the icon of the Mother of God, kneeled beside it and began praying.

At the same time somewhere in the guest room Lily started talking deliriously about Heaven, the voices that call her, the joy she felt inside. Miss Frankenstein looked in the ceiling imagining Heaven occupied with angels, who greeted her with their holy smiles. She felt so calm inside her tortured soul that she didn't feel the pain caused by each breath she inhaled. It was so peaceful, so spiritual.

Conversely, Miss Ives was attracted by totally another picture. First, she thought it was her vivid imagination, but when she saw the second bloody tear coming from the eye of the painted image, she remembered the days when she herself was the cause of spiders coming from the crucifix. Vanessa jumped on her feet and nearly ran to the child.

" _Florence!"_ She shook the girl. _"Florence! Please, stop whatever you're doing!"_ She hissed into child's ear.

" _What? Why?!"_ The girl turned her face wet with tears to Miss Ives. Then she saw the icon and opened her mouth in disbelief. _"It's not me. I didn't do that!"_ Girl's lips trembled and tears ran down her cheeks freely.

" _Shhh, it's not you. It's me, so let's go until nobody noticed it,"_ she whispered in child's ear.

Vanessa was 100 per cent sure that she had nothing to do with those bloody tears on the holy image as she hadn't been praying or doing anything to cause such a damage to the picture but Florence was really scared by this miraculous change and Miss Ives didn't want the religious fanatics, who weren't many in the church now, to see what girl's hidden power could do. The woman was also afraid that the child will collapse attacked by the chain of seizures which common people won't understand because of their narrow-mindedness and crassness. Therefore, she grabbed Florence by the hand and dragged her out of the house of God into the street getting the cab even if Grandage place was only four blocks away.

Day after day Miss Ives noticed more and more peculiarities in girl's behavior similar to hers when she had her strange visions, voices that talked to her or when she was possessed by the devil. Today's accident in the church was just another sign.

 _ **To be continued….**_


	14. Chapter 14

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 14**

Vanessa was right. Immediately after getting into the cab Florence had a seizure. It stopped when they arrived home. So, Miss Ives asked the coachman to help her carry the child into the house. The girl was exhausted and Vanessa let her sleep.

" _It's nearly two o'clock. Are you going to meet Dr. Sweet?"_

The child appeared in the library so unexpectedly that the woman jerked at girl's soft voice right behind her back.

" _I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you,"_ Florence apologized.

" _You haven't startled me."_ Vanessa looked at Florence with stern intensity to understand how badly the girl felt. The child looked the same pale and adorable with slightly tousled curls from sleep. _"Oh, I nearly forgot about it! I'll send a message that we won't come."_

" _No, please, go. You shouldn't decline the invitation because of me. I'm better but I'm not feeling like going. I'm sorry."_ The child apologized again as if it was her fault.

" _Fine then, first you eat something and I'll go."_

" _I can…"_ Florence didn't have time to finish the phrase.

" _You cannot warm food by yourself! I haven't eaten either. We have lunch together, end of discussion!"_

The girl sighed but refused to argue further because Vanessa was bent on doing so whatever it might take.

" _How do I look?"_ Miss Ives asked the girl. She was wearing a simple skirt, blouse and coat of different shades of black color but made of various fabrics, so it didn't look too dull.

" _Too beautiful for a nun,"_ was the reply.

" _I'm not a nun!"_ The woman disagreed and a smile toughed the corners of her lips.

" _You're always in black."_

" _Because it suits me!"_

" _Because you're afraid to try anything else,"_ concluded the child.

" _And now I'm speaking to an expert in the latest fashion,"_ Miss Ives teased the girl.

" _No, you're speaking to the person who's just tired of this mournful black color. It's like you are in a life-long grieving. Still you don't have time to change, so you should go, if you don't want your precious Mr. Sweet to wait,"_ Florence stated reasonably.

" _Are you sure you don't want to come? It'll be a lot of fun."_ Vanessa stared worriedly at the child not sure if it was safe to leave the girl alone for some hours.

" _I'd better stay. There are a lot of books to read."_

Miss Ives kissed the child on the forehead with parental gentleness and left the house. She has been doing it every time for about a week when the girl remained alone at home. It has been pretty awkward because Florence wasn't used to it. The child usually shrank her head into her shoulders as if waiting for a strike not a kiss. She curled herself into a ball and hid her head under the blanket trying to protect herself from Vanessa's kisses when the woman came into her room to say "good night". This was the part of experiment Dr. Steward asked Miss Ives to do. Now it was not different from previous times. Despite the fact that Florence hugged the woman in the morning and then collapsed because of the seizure, she was out of place every time the woman tried to kiss her.

Dr. Steward noticed that from the beginning. The child was too reserved and shy, too serious for children of her age. The girl spoke only about working, serving or the books she has read. She has never spoken about event when her parents or siblings showed any positive emotions towards her. They treated her neutrally or with rage maybe being jealous of her magnifying ability to memorize any information surrounding her. Therefore, Doctor asked Vanessa to praise girl's attempts to be weak and childish instead of being a slave-servant.

Miss Ives came home four hours later. In spite of going to check on the girl, she went into Sir Malcolm's studio, took a cigarette and smoked. After the encounter with a thrall in the mirror room and her flee from Dr. Sweet she was too agitated to appear before those brown curious eyes of the girl, who seemed to look right into her soul.

" _Did he do anything wrong?"_ asked the voice that made Vanessa shiver as she was absorbed deep in a thought and didn't hear Florence coming into the room.

" _Who?"_

" _Dr. Sweet."_

" _No, no, everything went well."_

" _Yet, you have been crying."_

Vanessa didn't know how the girl figured it out because it happened an hour ago when she said 'good bye' to the man. She was roaming then the streets for a while just to hide those emotions from Florence. Still the girl noticed.

" _Shouldn't you be in bed by now?"_ Miss Ives snapped at an inappropriate comment. How dare this girl judge her!

" _Good night, Miss Ives."_ Florence hastened away seeing that the woman wasn't in the mood to talk about anything that had happened.

The girl changed into the nightgown, kneeled beside the crucifix that was standing on the mantelpiece and started praying. She prayed and prayed until the rotten silhouette of Miss Frankenstein with a baby in her hands appeared in the room as a hallucination. The child looked at the blonde ugly woman agape. Flesh on Lily's face and arms were in wounds, skin in abscesses but she was smiling.

" _Thank you for giving me peace,"_ a distant female voice whispered and the silhouette vanished forever.

The girl fell on the floor having another drastic seizure while somewhere in London a blonde woman died in the bed. Dr. Frankenstein and Mr. Gray were the witnesses of that unusual death. Lily thanked someone for giving her peace, said that she was going to her Sarah and her corpse already covered in a network of tiny cracks crumbled into dust leaving only an empty night gown on the bed. Both men were astonished to behold with their own eyes such an irrecoverable condition of a human corpse. They had a drink together then Doctor left and Mr. Gray remained in his enormous house with Justine who was weeping her heart out in her room.

Miss Ives didn't come to check on her that was for sure as Florence woke up on the floor next to the dying fire in the mantelpiece. She scrambled herself from the floor and lay down in bed blowing away the candle and clutching the rabbit close to her chest. The child wept herself to sleep too afraid to see the rotten corpse of the woman in the darkness.

" _Miss Ives, did Mr. Gray send a messenger about the well-being of Ms. Frankenstein?"_ Florence asked the next morning.

" _No, why?"_ Vanessa had forgotten about Lily's strange condition. She was too deep in thought about thrall's words about the white room where it was no time, where she was together with her demons. His words haunted Vanessa all night long. She couldn't remember, though.

" _Nothing, I hope she's fine,"_ answered the child.

" _Ms. Frankenstein is an adult woman. I think Mr. Gray will take a great care of her, there is no need to worry,"_ Vanessa replied quickly standing up to leave the room.

" _Yes, of course,"_ said the girl when Miss Ives was already out in the hall.

Saturday and Sunday flew away quite weirdly. Miss Ives was cold and reserved. She let the girl do whatever she wanted. She refused to go with Florence to the sermon as well as she didn't care what her 'niece' was doing throughout two days. That's why Miss Welch was in her usual serving mode cooking food, cleaning the dust and the floors and washing up. The girl was everywhere and nowhere to be seen. Florence couldn't understand why Vanessa changed so much after the date with Dr. Sweet but she was too polite to ask. She didn't want to disturb the woman because she wasn't feeling well lately and didn't want Vanessa to worry about her.

On Monday morning Miss Ives went to Florence's room because the girl didn't come to breakfast. She found the child in bed. The pillow was in stains of blood as well as girl's nightgown and upper part of the blanket. Florence probably had one of her seizures and bit her lower lip pretty hard because it was bruised badly. If she hasn't come round yet, it meant that the seizure was not long ago. Vanessa gently touched girl's forehead with her fingers going down slowly to her cheeks.

" _Wake up, little one. Please, wake up,"_ she whispered her fingers still caressing girl's cheeks.

" _Miss Ives,"_ followed the answer and immediately the lip cracked again. _"Ow! It stings."_

" _You've bitten your lip quite badly,"_ explained the woman. _"Let's stop the bleeding."_ She took a handkerchief from the pocket and pressed it to child's lip.

" _Oh, everything is in blood!"_ Florence mispronounced half of the letters because of the kerchief pressed to her lip.

" _A laundress has to come today to bring our washed clothes and take the dirty ones. We'll put this linen into the basket with dirty laundry."_

" _I'm so sorry,"_ the child apologized.

" _Don't be, breakfast is ready. I'm going to Dr. Steward. Can you take care of yourself until I am back?"_

Florence didn't mention that she had been taken care of herself since Friday without any problem. Sudden attacks of epilepsy troubled her more than the possibility to stay alone for some time.

" _Yes, of course."_

Miss Ives didn't mention the increase repetition of child's seizures that she didn't have in weeks but a great amount appeared to happen in these three days after her visit to Mr. Gray's house. The woman was concerned with something else. Words of that bloodless man were stuck in her mind and haunted her all these days. She was so agitated that each minute lasted for hours. She barely slept for two days in a row, she barely ate and only today in the morning Vanessa remembered to check on the girl. The hypnotism session ended well for her soul but not for her body. Miss Ives found the answer to the question she asked again and again trying to figure out what the room, where no light was, could look like. She felt totally exhausted, though. The burn from the cigarette hurt like hell, the daylight turned into twilight.

" _I need to find her a place to stay,"_ pronounced Miss Ives taking a sip of the drink Dr. Steward offered her.

" _Whom?"_ After listening to Vanessa's story for several hours Dr. Steward hasn't been sure what the patient was talking about.

" _Miss Welch. I've been chased by a demon, whose name is Dracula. I can't let the child become a prey. She deserves a better life."_

" _She already has a better life and Miss Welch understands it. I think her epilepsy comes from the environment she is in. Correct me if I'm wrong, but since Florence has been following her routine, eating normally, not only working but also playing, has she got any seizures?"_

" _She hasn't had any for almost two weeks. Something changed, though, after our visit to Mr. Gray, an old friend of mine. His beloved one, the woman who invited Florence to play with her young protégé, she lost consciousness in front of the girls. Florence was scared to death. I think she blames herself in this silly accident but after that Miss Welch had seizure after seizure. It was like a nightmare one attack more violent than another. I couldn't hush her until late at night. It was truly ridiculous because I fell asleep in her bed instead of keeping an eye on her during the night."_ Vanessa smirked remembering the last week's events.

" _As I said something triggered the epileptic seizures. Miss Welch is of a neurotic type but she's afraid of showing emotions or when people share emotions with her. Does she feel awkward when you kiss her good night?"_ asked the old woman.

Vanessa caught herself thinking that she hadn't done that for two days. She forgot completely about the girl. She couldn't even tell if Florence went to church on Sunday or not. Miss Ives remembered only today's morning, the bloody pillow and the girl completely at a loss.

" _Yes, maybe she thinks she isn't worthy or something. We had a weird accident in the church on Friday."_

" _Again that mysterious church!"_ the old woman said sarcastically.

Miss Ives told about strange bloody tears on the holly image caused, to her mind, by the child's praying.

 _ **To be continued...**_


	15. Chapter 15

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 15**

Miss Ives came home late into a completely dark house. She thought that maybe the child was already asleep. That's why the woman took off her coat, went to her room and applied some cream that Dr. Steward prescribed for the burn. She sat in her room for some time smoking a cigarette. Then she went to check on the girl. To her great surprise the Florence's room was empty. In the dim light of the candle that she carried in her hand Vanessa saw the rabbit toy sitting on the pillow. It held a folded piece of paper and a strange crocheted bracelet made of silver thread. With shaky hands Miss Ives took the paper-note and unfolded it.

" **Dear Miss Ives,**

 **Thank you for your kindness, patience and care. Every day spent with you was a miracle that I would remember forever. Nevertheless, I need to leave you because of my unpredictable nature. The signs are too vivid and the least I want, is to put you in danger.**

 **If you do not mind, I will take just the necessary things with me as you know nobody is eager to give a child a room to rent. You may give the rest of my clothes to an orphanage. Children there would be much more pleased to wear such marvelous garments. I also leave Mr. De Lynd to take care of you. He is too big, unfortunately, to come with me. I made a bracelet for you. I hope every time you wear it, you will remember me no matter where I am. I will take some food and all the money that you had given me. It will be enough until I find a place to work. Don't worry for me.**

 **Please, tell Dr. Steward that I learned how to forget some needless information. I will still keep in mind all our talks even if they did not help with my unhealthy condition.**

 **In conclusion, I would like to say that you will always be in my heart and my mind. I will pray for you every day. Please, do not try to find me. I am already a lost cause. There is no need to save me as I have my own fate and I don't want to bother you anymore.**

 **With love,**

 **Florence Welch"**

Vanessa finished reading the note sitting on the edge of the bed. Hot tears dropped on the single page that was left by the child. She was overwhelmed by finding out about Dracula but now her heart was shattered to pieces as she imagined that pale face with dark, sad eyes framed with curly hair. The girl decided two steps ahead while Miss Ives was just thinking about giving her away, Florence smoothed things down. She eliminated from this house, from Vanessa's life. She stepped into uncertainty fearing to hurt her, Vanessa Ives, the most powerful witch in Britain's history. She lay on the bed clutching the toy rabbit and wept uncontrollably for an hour.

 _ **A flashback on what happened that day**_

The minute Miss Ives got into the cab Florence was properly dressed to go out. Without having breakfast or thinking too much the girl took some money from 'the treasure box', where she kept all important things, grabbed some home-made biscuits, which she baked yesterday, and went in the street. Half an hour later she was knocking on the door of Mr. Gray's mansion. The man himself answered the door.

" _Good morning, Miss Welch! How can I help you?"_ Dorian greeted the girl really surprised to see her at his front door.

" _Morning, Mr. Gray! Miss Ives sent me to ask how Miss Frankenstein is doing and give her these biscuits. We made them together yesterday."_ said the girl looking at the man. The girl decided not to hide her gaze because she was aware of what she would see. The image would fade in a blink of an eye, so Florence got used to it.

" _I'm afraid Miss Frankenstein went away to see her relative in Yorkshire. She'll be back within a month."_ The man invented the story intending not to scare the child.

" _Oh, what a pity! At least she's alright. Still this is for you and Miss Smith."_ She gave Mr. Gray a carton box with biscuits.

" _Why don't you come in and have a tea with us?"_ He invited the girl to come in.

" _Thank you very much, Sir. Unfortunately, I have to hurry. I have a piano class in 30 minutes. Please, send my best to Miss Smith."_

" _Sure, Miss Welch."_ Dorian smiled his enigmatic smile which didn't impress the child at all and closed the door.

Justine watched everything from the window. After Lily passed away the teen wasn't welcome in this house anymore. Mr. Gray was a gentleman, though. So, he gave her two days to move out keeping everything that they bought for her. She has already rented a small room and came here just to take some trinkets. Seeing Florence, she grabbed the bag, where she put everything and left the house using the back door.

Justine followed Miss Welch till the Grandage place. She waited for the cab to drive away and ran towards the child, who wanted to open the back door with the key.

" _You!"_ She pushed Florence onto the door. The child hit the wooden door but was quick enough to put both hands in front of her which prevented her to smash her nose on the door. In one brisk movement Florence made a step aside and turned to the predator. _"You killed her! You little bitch! You killed her!_ Justine shouted wanting to hit Florence in the face but missed, hitting her fist on the wall.

The child didn't ask for help, she wasn't scared. Florence immediately understood who Justine was talking about. So, the old man lied to her. She already knew it, because you shouldn't trust ugly, sly beasts even if their nature appears for a short moment. Her vision of a decomposed corpse with a baby in its arms was also a prediction of something bad that could have happen. It happened. Now it was crystal clear.

Like in slow motion Florence ducked her head, made a step closer to the wall. Justine lost her balance and hit the wall quite hard. The child made a step towards the door, turned the handle, got inside and in a second closed the door right in front of Justine's face. She was breathing heavily listening to Justine's curses coming from outside. She went upstairs, grabbed the sack that she had prepared beforehand, put the note on her bed and ran away using the front door while Justine was still howling in the back yard.

 _ **The next day Dr. Steward's office:**_

With shaky hands Vanessa handed Dr. Steward the note found yesterday in Florence's room. The old woman could tell that Miss Ives didn't sleep that night. Her eyes were swollen of tears, she surely didn't comb her hair just did it up not thinking much about make up. The psychiatrist noticed that the woman was totally shattered. Vanessa came in at the usual hour for the session. She didn't tell a word just handed a sheet of paper and started passing, obviously, she was agitated. Dr. Steward quickly ran through the lines and threw the paper on the table.

" _Sit down, Miss Ives. A cigarette?"_ The psychiatrist held out a packet of cigarettes.

" _No, thanks. I'm already sick of them!"_ The woman refused slumping into the armchair.

" _What did she take?"_ asked the doctor lighting up a cigarette.

" _Is it important?! She ran away! I have no clue where to look. Where can I find her?"_ Vanessa looked at her fingers with fleet glance and absent-mindedly began scratching the back of her left hand.

" _Yes, it is. If she took just the necessary things, it is one scenario. If she stole something, there can be another scenario. So, did she take the things she had enlisted here?"_

" _Yes… No… I don't know… I haven't checked."_ Woman's eyes were jumping from her fingers, to her skirt, gloves then back but she refused to look Dr. Steward in the eyes.

" _Miss Ives, when did you find the note?"_ Doctor calmly continued her interrogation.

" _Yesterday when I came home."_

" _Did you call the police, gave them the description of the girl?"_

" _No, what could I have told them?"_

" _The same as you told me that you gave shelter to an orphan, epileptic nine year old with excellent abilities to memorize everything she sees or reads, a girl with good manners but too shy to talk to strangers. She lacks self-confidence and is quite neat for a child of her age."_ Dr. Steward gave a short description of her small patient.

" _Nobody will search for an orphan, vagabond child. Even if they do, how to find a needle in a haystack?"_

" _To burn it,"_ said the Doctor. _"Miss Ives, if I didn't know you, I would say you are so overwhelmed with Miss Welch's disappearance that you neglect simple logic."_ The old woman reprimanded. _"Yesterday you were discussing the possibility to find a place for the girl and now, when she relieved you from this necessity, you are eager to be on the hunt for her."_

" _What do you mean that I need to accept her running away? She didn't feel well lately. I can't count how many seizures she had at the weekend because I was really so absorbed with the information I'd found at our last session that I didn't give a damn where she was and if she was fine. I haven't even been to the church with her this Sunday!"_ Vanessa stood up again and started passing from one side of the room to another.

" _Miss Ives, this girl can take care of herself sometimes even better than adults. You know her abilities, you know how much time she spent outside and survived. In your shoes I wouldn't be so worried about her, I would worry about you, because of what I heard yesterday you need a very precise not just medical but also psychiatric attention!"_ Dr. Steward also stood up from her seat to make the point in this highly emotional conversation.

" _Are you going to put me into asylum, Dr. Steward?"_ Miss Ives stopped for a moment to look at the old woman.

" _No, I'm not. I would like you to sit down and think not with surge of emotions that you are manifesting right now but with your cold uncluttered mind. Let's analyze where a nine year old could go, because in this letter I see a child driven to despair especially the last sentence screams for help."_

" _I sincerely have no idea. She doesn't have friends, she never told me where she lived while she was roaming the streets. I'm pretty sure she won't go back to her father or brother. Maybe a church? It has been the only place Florence visited eagerly."_ While speaking, Vanessa touched a sort of bracelet on her left hand.

" _Is it the bracelet she left for you?"_ asked the woman interested in the pattern of the crocheted piece.

" _Yes."_

" _May I see it?"_

" _Yes, of course."_

Without taking the bracelet off Vanessa stretched her hand and pulled up the sleeve of her black dress for the Doctor to see the piece. It was made of a simple silver thread which you could buy at any sewing shop but the pattern was exquisite. The main theme of the bracelet was 3 tiny crosses that were in the middle of a quite sophisticated ornament. Each cross had a small pearly like bead inside. It was done very skillfully and was a proper accessory for any woman.

" _It has an interesting pattern, don't you think?"_ Dr. Steward asked Miss Ives.

" _I've never seen such patterns before but it surely has to do with Florence's religious views,"_ Vanessa supposed.

" _Miss Ives, first I would like you to check what she took with her and inform me with a note. Then go to the church and ask if anybody saw her there today. Also think about the places you've visited maybe she'll appear there. Nevertheless, I want you to be reasonable. Sincerely, I doubt that we'll find her. If not, you have to go further. Don't give a chance for this little girl to ruin your life."_

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **Dear Readers, there are only a few chapters left until the end of this story. I'd really appreciate some comments. Thank you!**_


	16. Chapter 16

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 16**

Coming home after her conversation with Dr. Steward Vanessa went straight to Florence's room. She turned everything inside out trying to understand how many things the girl took with her. In the end the woman sat in the arm-chair really disappointed. The child took just two pairs of warm stockings, mittens instead of pretty gloves, a coat, two skirts and blouses, some warm underwear and the warmest hat that she had. All the toys, which were a few, stood on their places except one little wooden horse that maybe the girl took or it had fallen behind the chest of drawers. "Alice in Wonderland" also disappeared from the nightstand which amused Vanessa somehow, because Florence remembered everything and could cite any book word for word. Miss Ives was sitting in girl's room fumbling absent-mindedly her violet dress which Florence thought was too gorgeous to wear and only put it on once when they were invited to Mr. Gray's house.

Vanessa didn't send any message to the psychiatrist but went down to the library and casted the TARO cards. She opened them one by one and each time her face became gloomier. When she turned up the last one she swept them away from the table in rage. Vanessa didn't hear any voices, didn't have any visions, the result was still crystal clear for her. 'Death' was the only card that haunted the poor child every time the woman tried to predict Florence's future. Miss Ives screamed putting her fury, despair, loss, loneliness, putting all her bare feelings into that long howl. She hated God, who abandoned her or she abandoned Him, she couldn't recall right now. She hated the demons, who have been following her since Year One. She hated herself for being so vulnerable and unable to change anything.

Dr. Steward was a tolerant and patient woman but not this time. When Vanessa didn't send a note and didn't appear at the next session, the psychiatrist was concerned but when she skipped Thursday, the old woman started to worry. That's why on Friday evening she was standing outside the Grandage house knocking on the door for about 15 minutes already under the pouring rain. She couldn't say if somebody was home as there was not a single ray of light in the windows, still she persistently hammered the door-knocker waiting for somebody to come and open it. Finally a ghost more than a woman looked through the peep-hole, the lock squeaked and a dreadfully unsatisfied old woman entered the house.

" _Good evening, Miss Ives! It's unlikely for me to pay visits to my patients but, as you are a rather sophisticated case, I decided to make an exception. As I see, I had to make it a little bit earlier."_ She scanned the woman with raven hair from head to toe and was quite disappointed by her appearance.

Vanessa looked paler, thinner and in an extreme depressive state. She let the doctor in and turned round to go away not even bothering to close the door. Her hair was a total mess, the dress hasn't been changed for days. It seemed she didn't care much. Circles around her eyes spoke of sleepless nights and maybe starvation because she was swaying a little maybe feeling too dizzy to stand upright.

" _I can presume Miss Welch hasn't come back yet,"_ said Dr. Steward aloud to make Vanessa turn to her but the woman didn't stop as if nobody was in the hall.

Dr. Steward closed the door, put the umbrella in a stand for it and followed the woman who was going upstairs instead of inviting the psychiatrist to the living room or at least to the library. Out of the corner of her eye the old woman saw that furniture in the room downstairs was covered with big pieces of white cloths. It seemed as if the people living here were going to move away for a long time or maybe forever. The house was dark and cold. Only the candle in Miss Ives's hand lit up the way upstairs and down the long corridor. Vanessa went into Florence's room, put the chandelier on the bedside table and curled in bed not giving a damn that Dr. Steward came after her in the room and now was standing near her bed. It was very cold in the room like in the rest of the house.

" _Have you eaten anything these days, Miss Ives?"_ asked the annoying doctor. She took another chandelier from the chest of drawers and lit up the candles. Vanessa remained silent wrapping the blanket over her skinny form and clutching the rabbit closer to her chest. Dr. Steward took the nearest chair and sat near the bed. _"It's Mr. De Lynd, isn't it? May I have a look?"_

With reluctance Vanessa stretched her arm from under the blanket and gave the rabbit to the old woman.

" _You haven't told me yet what she had taken with her."_ The doctor examined the toy as her most important patient.

Miss Ives made a gesture that clearly showed that she wants the toy back and spoke.

" _Leave me! Everybody leaves me."_ She grabbed the rabbit and hugged it like the only soul mate which understood her somehow.

" _That's why you want to starve yourself? How is it going to help find Miss Welch?"_

" _I can't help her anymore, nobody can. All people around me die or abandon me because I'm evil, so go away!"_ Miss Ives pronounced tiredly.

" _Why are you so sure that she's lost forever?"_ Vanessa's unexpected phrase sparked Dr. Steward's interest. Maybe she wasn't a hopeless case. Maybe there was hope to take the patient out of this severe depressive episode.

" _Cards don't lie,"_ she stated harshly.

" _TAROT cards, you mean?"_

" _Yes."_

" _What did they tell you?"_

" _She'll die, if she isn't already dead,"_ she said melancholically.

" _So, you don't know for sure."_

Vanessa didn't reply. She knew for sure. Cars could have many interpretations but not this time. How much she wanted her predictions to be false, to be no more than just a stupid lie. Unfortunately, there was not a slight chance for that because she has already casted the cards three times. Every time 'death' was the only answer.

" _Don't you even want to try and search for her? At least to find the body if you believe that Miss Welch is dead, which I strongly doubt,"_ proposed the doctor.

" _She is safer wherever she is. Dracula is hunting me. I don't need her back,"_ whispered Miss Ives.

" _That's why you burnt her clothes?"_ Dr. Steward approached the mantelpiece and took a burnt violet piece that didn't burn with everything else. _"Or you just ran out of coal?"_

" _Go away, it's already late,"_ was the reply.

" _I won't go away anywhere, Miss Ives. I won't let you starve to death which is your wish. I won't let you get into this depressive state even more because I don't think that putting you into an asylum is a right thing to do. I'll help you to overcome this, of course, if you help me. Otherwise, I'll come here with other doctors. It's not a good idea, though, don't you agree?"_ She turned to face Vanessa, whose eyes became even much larger and more desperate. _"Let's talk."_

Dr. Steward sat down into an arm-chair, covered her legs with a blanket and began the session. She tried to talk for an hour but didn't have any progress as it was mostly a monologue from her part and silence from Vanessa's. Suddenly the woman jumped out of the bed and howled like a wounded animal. She started quickly unbuttoning the top of her undergarments.

" _What? What's wrong? Vanessa?"_ Dr. Steward stood up to help the woman who was nearly tearing apart her top and screaming at the top of her lungs.

" _The cross! I'm burning! I'm burning!"_

The old woman was still unaware of what was going on until Miss Ives turned to her to reveal an ugly scar of a cross engraved by fire on Vanessa's back. It was quite cold in the room but the cross was glowing.

" _Aaaah, please, stop it!"_ Vanessa fell on the floor and began rolling to and fro to ease the pain.

Dr. Steward didn't know what to do and how to help. It was the first time she saw such things in her practice. Yes, there were different patients some of them more dangerous than the others but this was beyond understanding. The woman could even smell burnt flesh in the cool air of the room. Then Miss Ives began citing something in a language that was unrecognized by the doctor. Her patient was hissing and roaring coiling on the floor like a snake, then, her speech turned into Latin murmur so quick that the old woman could barely understand what Vanessa said. Later Miss Ives's coiling seized, her eyes closed and she lost consciousness.

With great difficulty Dr. Steward manage to lift her patient back into bed. The most shocking discovery for her this evening was the complete disappearance of the branded scar on Vanessa's back. It hasn't just faded but vanished showing the same skin as on the rest of Miss Ives's back. Dr. Steward took one of the chandeliers, found some wood and coal in the house and lit a fire in the mantelpiece. Vanessa was fast asleep.

" _How do you feel, my dear?"_ was the first question Miss Ives heard the next morning.

" _Exhausted but never better."_ She smiled at the woman.

" _May I see your scar because yesterday I think my eyes betrayed me,"_ asked the doctor really doubting the previous night's events.

Without saying much Miss Ives sat up in bed and turned her back to the woman for the later to examine her. Dr. Steward pulled Vanessa's dark long hair to a side. The scar was gone. She gently touched Vanessa's pale skin with freckles all over it to make sure that it wasn't an illusion.

" _What?"_ Miss Ives asked curiously not understanding why the woman was so silent.

" _Your scar that branded cross that was glowing yesterday. It's completely gone. There is no even a slight sign of it as if I didn't see it with my own eyes red and even smelling of burning flesh,"_ confessed the doctor truly confused.

" _It means only one thing. Florence is still alive and she prayed from the bottom of her heart for the person, who lost her soul forever, for the person, who couldn't be forgiven, she prayed for me."_ Miss Ives faced the doctor, her eyes full with tears. She feared for the girl. She knew how much power the child had to put in that prayer to heal the wounds. Vanessa also was aware of the pain it caused Florence because not even the mightiest day walker could perform such a trick. It had to be a saint or the most dreadful witch who could reach both spiritual and real worlds. _"What you'd seen, was a holy miracle. Tell me that we will find her. Please, tell me that it won't be too late."_ Tears freely streamed down Vanessa's cheeks and Dr. Steward hugged her hushing the adult woman like a tiny baby who was afraid of the dark.

That very night in the slaughter house another conversation took place.

" _Have you found the girl?"_ asked Dr. Sweet his loyal thralls.

" _No, my Lord. There is no trace of her anywhere, at least in London,"_ said the pale tall man too thin to seem healthy.

" _I can't imagine how you managed to lose her in the first place. But you already know what might happen to those who ignore their duties. I'm not angry anymore."_ He spoke remembering the feast where his own thralls ate their mates because they weren't good enough in following Florence the day she ran away.

" _We have good news too, my Lord,"_ said Mr. Renfield, _"Dr. Steward went to check on Miss Ives who hasn't left her house since the girl's disappearance."_

" _Oh, that old cow finally had some wits to check on her patient, stupid bitch! She could have done it earlier! I hope she will be successful, otherwise, I don't think Miss Ives would like my methods of bringing her to life. For now we'll wait and see. Still, continue searching for that bloody girl. I need to know that filthy reeking pitch she's hiding in. We need to take care of her or she will ruin everything,"_ concluded Dracula.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	17. Chapter 17

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 17**

" _So, do you still believe that I'm a delusional neurotic or maybe what you saw last night changed your purely scientific view of the problem I face?"_ asked Miss Ives pouring hot tea in the cup that she already prepared for Dr. Steward.

" _I've never treated you like a delusional neurotic. Your state is deeper and it definitely has neuropsychological relation especially to the forbidden act you witnessed in childhood. All your so to say 'sins' come from that period. On the other hand, I can't explain the physical thing that happened to your body last night. I have to admit, it's beyond my understanding,"_ replied Dr. Steward taking the cup of tea from Vanessa.

" _But you can't ignore the fact that Miss Welch has the same power I do."_ Vanessa sat at the table opposite the old woman and took a toast from the plate.

" _I'm skeptical about that. I haven't seen Miss Welch for a week now. I didn't see her yesterday in your room either. I can't say what made that scar disappear from your back but I'm not sure that it has any connection to Florence."_ Dr. Steward took a sip from her cup.

" _Whatever!"_ Vanessa spoke angrily. She didn't want to argue right now. She was pretty sure that Florence could reach her the same as she reached Mina or felt things which were beyond this damn world.

" _I'm a woman of science, Miss Ives. It's hard to believe in some supernatural powers at my age because I try to interpret this world rationally. However, I agree that you and that little girl have some kind of a bond. I saw it at the sessions. Miss Welch could understand you without asking the same as you. If you try to persuade me that she's a witch or whatever you call that interesting ability to foresee things, I will be in a strong opposition to it. I should admit her peculiarity, though. Her memory is as enormous as space, when she comes into age to analyze everything she knows, this girl can become the most influential woman in the world."_ Dr. Steward shared her opinion.

" _Unfortunately, we'll never know this. With her disease and inability to take care of herself, she'll pass away sooner than I find her,"_ concluded Vanessa.

" _Miss Ives, first of all you should decide what to choose."_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _You wanted to find a place for Miss Welch because you think that you are hunted by whatever demon you named under hypnosis. Do you really believe it's real?"_ Dr. Steward pierced Vanessa with her cold eyes.

" _Are you going to put me in asylum if I do?"_ Vanessa retorted returning the gaze.

" _If I put all my patients in the asylum, I would be a poor practitioner,"_ the old woman smirked, _"I've got another idea. You wanted to protect the girl because you feel she's not safe with you. I'll try to help you find her and then I can take her."_

" _What a handsome gesture! Why? Because she would be a great piece in your collection with her precious ability to memorize things?"_

" _Can you think of a better place?"_ inquired Dr. Steward clearly annoyed by Vanessa's tone.

Miss Ives was silent for a while.

" _Fine,"_ she finally agreed. _"What's your plan?"_

" _It's not worth going to the police but I know a detective, who might help. As you have more time during the week, I suggest you make inquiries in churches as Miss Welch has a strong religious belief. At the same time, I want you to find friends, to protect yourself if that monster of yours has a real form in our world which I doubt."_ She explained her plan.

They talked till midday. Dr. Steward left only when she was convinced that Miss Ives would not go back into that apathy state again.

A week passed by but nothing was clear about the girl. Miss Ives managed to go to all churches in London and its neighborhood giving priests the description of Florence all in vain. Nobody has seen her, nobody could give her any hint where Miss Welch could be. Dr. Steward hasn't been lucky either. Exhausted and in bad mood Vanessa turned back to tarot cards. She hoped to reach the girl if not physically than spiritually. Nonetheless, her attempts were useless. Florence wasn't a demonic creature as Mina turned into, so with all her witchcraft powers Miss Ives couldn't connect with the girl. So, she lay down in bed and cried, and cried, and cried until she fell asleep as a lonely small child grieving over her lost parents.

Mister Lyle went to Egypt but Vanessa had a chance to see him before that little man climbed on the board of a ship. Thanks to his piece of advice Miss Ives got acquainted with Catriona Hartdegen, a woman scientists, who also could beat any man at fencing. Vanessa went to the library and took some of the books that she thought might help her understand who or what this Dracula was, while Catriona was doing a fundamental research. Miss Ives read myths, fairy tales and superstitions. The picture that she created in her mind about mysterious creature that was haunting her was far away from reality. Nevertheless, Vanessa was quite sure that the image of him was true to life. Dr. Steward insisted on the idea of Miss Ives having a friend. That is why she came back to the Natural History Museum to see Dr. Sweet.

" _Good afternoon, Miss Ives. It's a pleasure to see you again,"_ Dr. Sweet smiled, took her small hand with pretty long fingers in his and kissed. It was unusual for him to do because he seemed to be quite an absent-minded man who didn't respect much the rules of social courtesy.

It was also unexpected for Dr. Sweet because the moment he touched Vanessa's hand he felt burning ache the same as he felt when he touched that odious girl, it seemed long ago now. Pressing his lips to Vanessa's skin has been even more painful. That's how he understood that before fleeing away Miss Welch did something drastic to her benefactress that made her untouchable for the demon he was. He saw the same darkness in Vanessa's soul that was there before she was born and still her touch became painful for him.

" _Where is your Miss Welch? I hope she's alright."_ He asked to keep up the conversation.

" _She's back with her father. My mission is accomplished. I still long for her smile, though."_ She partially lied partially admitted her own loss. Miss Ives couldn't tell him the whole truth if she wanted for this relationship to flourish. It wouldn't be wise to start it again telling the truth about her previous lies. So, she thought it was safe to proceed without any explanation of Miss Welch's past.

Miss Ives's revelation gave him information that she hasn't found the girl yet as well as he failed in this task even if he had much more resources than the woman did. Miss Welch disappeared without a trace. He hoped only that girl's condition will be the cause of her unexpected death at young age as she was totally unaware of her real purpose to prevent Vanessa falling into the arms of evil forces that she was doing so eagerly now. He invited the woman for a cup of tea and while drinking it at the nearest café Dr. Sweet noticed a strange bracelet on Miss Ives's wrist. He couldn't see exactly the pattern of it as it was hidden under the sleeve of her beige blouse.

" _What an unusual bracelet. Why do you hide it?"_ He asked having intention to see it.

" _Oh, this."_ Vanessa didn't realize that this little piece could attract the man's attention. She wore it everywhere but under the sleeve because it was her treasure she didn't want to share with anyone else. _"It's a present from Miss Welch."_ The woman put up her sleeve a little bit to show the bracelet.

" _Did she make it herself?"_ The man sounded intrigued. Now everything turned to be quite clear. Little bitch made a holy protection for the reincarnation of the mother of evil on Earth. Dr. Sweet was pretty sure that Florence hadn't even suspected to make a sacred fetish when she was crocheting the piece. _"It's lovely, why do you hide it?"_

" _I don't know. It doesn't have any value as jewelry, you know. It's a simple silver thread which you can buy anywhere but it's valuable for me."_ She explained.

" _Miss Welch is an unbelievably smart and crafty child. I can't imagine who she will become when she grows up."_ He praised the girl already thinking how to get rid of this filthy bracelet.

" _I hope a happy, intelligent, kind and charming young lady."_

They smiled and continued their conversation as good friends who haven't seen each other for a long time.

Florence was not far from London but far enough for nobody to find her. After the girl realized that she was the cause of those bloody tears of the Holy Saint and especially the cause of Lily's death, Miss Welch understood that Miss Ives was in a great danger as the woman let her stay in the house and took care of her. So, even if Vanessa didn't consider child's analytical skills to be the best ones, still the girl didn't flee away to nowhere. She had a plan and day after day she accumulated all the necessary things to give it a go.

A few weeks before that strange accident with the icon in the church Florence saw an interesting article in one of the newspapers that were delivered weekly to Miss Ives as Vanessa didn't like to read something daily like Sir Malcolm used to do. The article was dedicated to a wonderful boarding school for orphan children according to the review given by the author. It was solely for girls and was run by nuns as it was situated in a former monastery in a small village in a hundred of miles from London. The article told about nice, comfortable conditions, fine food and even education that sisters provided to their fosterlings. Miss Welch wasn't as naïve as she had to be for a nine-year old but the girl considered this opportunity to be the most appropriate for her. That's why, while Miss Ives was at the sessions with Dr. Steward, the girl roamed the streets to find out the prices of stagecoaches going to or passing by this miraculous place. The day she collected enough money for the trip without thinking too much, she left a famous note to Miss Ives and headed straight to the station paying attention for Justine or anyone else not to follow her.

Florence reached her destination without any problem and even was accepted by the sisters of Saint Teresa monastery as she was in nice clothes and cited the Bible better than the patron priest of the place. The girl just didn't tell anything about her epilepsy which was a grave mistake. The conditions in this, so to say 'boarding school', were no better than in any workhouse of the Victorian period. Girls were sleeping in overcrowded rooms, sometimes 6 people on a double bed. If there was no place, they slept on the floor. The education was limited to the profound knowledge of the Holy Scripture, Psalms and other sacraments but nothing that involved science, literature or philosophy. The girls ate poorly, were dressed in plain brown dresses made of wool. They didn't speak much because it was the greatest sin and silence was the best virtue. The day began at 6 in the morning and finished at 6 in the evening or until it was still dusk outside. By this time all fosterlings were so exhausted that the only thing they thought of was going back to sleep. Florence's day included the morning praying, very short and poor breakfast afterwards came different tasks beginning from cleaning floors, washing-up and mending ripped clothes to sawing and washing the laundry. Girls interrupted their work for disgusting lunch and in the end of the day ate dinner that was as good as the previous two meals. Florence didn't grumble considering herself an evil spirit but when the nuns discovered that she had epilepsy, child's life came from not so good to awful.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	18. Chapter 18

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 18**

Every evening the girls at Saint Teresa monastery had one and the same routine. They were standing near their beds in night gowns and one of the nuns who supervised their room cited the prayer in English which they had to pronounce in a choir after her. The prayer wasn't difficult or long as the girls were so tired in the evening that the only thing they wanted to go to sleep even if they had to share those uncomfortable beds with their friends or not. Florence didn't know this prayer but after she heard it once the next time she prayed together with everyone else. Nevertheless, today was Friday and she was totally exhausted after washing up the dishes in the kitchen all day. Her poor dress that was given by the nuns was wet, her hands became dark red of cold water she was washing in and her fingers hurt of scrubbing. So, instead of citing the prayer in English Florence thought about Miss Ives, her lips began moving too fast quoting Signum Crucis (Sign of the Cross) in Latin. The girl didn't realize that other girls have already stopped their prayer and were staring at her. Miss Welch also didn't feel the moment her eyes began rolling up and she fell on the floor her body moving in some extraordinary ugly dance that scared the audience around her. While Florence was in her usual epileptic state at the same time at Grandage place Miss Ives was rolling all over the floor, screaming like hell because the sign of the cross on her back was burning. The nun didn't expect of the little girl to misbehave in such a strange way. If children were scared to death, than sister Agatha was at loss only for a second. The other second she was already mounting above Florence looking at her as a snake at its prey ready to swallow it.

Florence woke up because some little but acute teeth bit her cold fingers. She moved slowly and heard peeping sound. Someone or something wasn't very satisfied that its meal turned to be a little too huge to eat. The room was dark and freezing cold penetrated not just the skin but the bones of the girl because she was lying on the natural clay. The girl jerked as something small, brisk and hairy run over her hand. The darkness covered the room in a thick gloomy veil. Florence couldn't see anything, so she thought she was blind. The child stood up and slowly with her arm in front of her made some steps only to touch the wall. Her hand slid along the width of the rocky wall until it reached the corner and went further the other wall. She passed it till the corner, made some more steps along the third wall and suddenly the material changed. Even with her frozen fingers the girl was sure that it was something else. Florence reached the door as she found the handle. Unfortunately, it was locked. She understood where she was. Girls who misbehaved or did something wrong were locked in the vault, that's why there wasn't any window here and she thought she went blind. The child also knew that there was no reason to cry in here because nobody would hear you. Walls were too thick and nuns didn't descend into the vaults very often. Florence reckoned that it should still be night. Somebody would come only in the morning. They left her here in only a night gown without any shoes or blanket to cover herself in. Rats were peeping running to and fro but this sound calmed her down. At least she shouldn't have to listen to deafening silence. Instead of screaming Florence began to sing and walk from one side of her cell to another in order to warm her stiff limbs.

In the morning she was woken up by the squeaking sound of a rusty hinged door. Florence was surprised to see the Mother Superior standing in the doorway.

" _Get up, child!"_ commanded the old woman.

The girl stood up. Her whole body was shivering of cold. She had a headache and felt quite numb.

" _Do you remember what happened yesterday?"_ The woman asked strictly as if Florence committed a crime.

" _We were praying and after that I woke up here, Mother Louisa."_ Florence stuttered because she couldn't stop shaking from cold.

" _Did you have seizures before?"_ The voice sounded as thunder in a small cell.

" _I've had them since I was born,"_ whispered the child trying to wrap her arms tightly over her own body to warm a little.

" _Do you know what this means?"_

" _Et obtuli eum discipulis tuis et non potuerunt curare eum, respondens Iesus ait o generatio incredula et perversa quousque ero vobiscum usquequo patiar vos adferte huc illum ad me et increpavit ei Iesus et exiit ab eo daemonium et curatus est puer ex illa hora."_ The girl quoted Matthew 17:15 (translation: "Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is epileptic, and suffereth grievously; for oft-times he falleth into the fire, and off-times into the water.")

" _So, you lied to us about your illness. Did you lie about anything else?"_ asked the Mother Superior with irritation.

" _I told you, my mom died and my father said he can't take care of me anymore. He gave me money just for the trip here as I'm a catholic."_ Florence was standing on the cold clay floor and answering all the stupid questions instead of crying and asking for some warm clothes.

" _Sister Margaret said that you were singing yesterday here. Weren't you afraid?"_

" _I believe in God, Mother Louisa. If our Father sent me here, He had a reason to do it. I sang "Salve Regina", "Dies Irae", "Deum Verum" and some other chants that I heard when we went to the church with my mother."_ The girl enumerated some Latin Mass Hymns.

" _Yes, she tells the truth, Mother Superior,"_ admitted Sister Margaret who was standing a little bit behind the head of the monastery.

" _Nevertheless, she lied about her disease. I should have sent you to a working house or an asylum for those like your kind as with your disease you're closer to the devil than to our Father, but I hope hard work and praying can save your soul, child. From now on you'll be working at the laundry section and live in the block for lunatics. I don't want you to spoil the innocent souls of children you were with because only the devil could play such a trick and gave you that enormous memory of yours. So, go after Sister Margaret, she'll show your new shelter."_

Only now Sister Margaret gave her a long woolen shawl and a pair of shoes, which Florence took thankfully wrapping the shawl around her solemn form.

It seemed for Miss Ives that she hasn't seen the girl for ages. Vanessa started going to the library to find some more information on Dracula only after she checked and rechecked the places where Florence liked to walk. It already became a ritual to go one and the same way in the morning, midday and in the evening. Each time when the woman came back home from Dr. Steward, library or even her new friend - Catriona Hartdegen, she felt the gloom of solitude crashing down on her shoulders so overwhelmingly that she couldn't breathe or didn't want to move. Vanessa recollected the memories of her long, harsh arguments with Sir Malcolm which seemed right now so dear to her heart because she was pretty sure that he took part in her life not just as a father of Mina her dearest friend, but also as her own father, as he had a love affair with her mother before she was born and even after when she caught them doing it in the maze. She remembered Sembene as a loyal and reliable servant always ready to protect which he proved by his own death at the witch's house. The warmest and most charming memories she had about Mr. Chandler. Gentle and sometimes even overprotective he filled Vanessa's life with love and hope for the future. But now the house looked as an empty hollow place full with memories that didn't give any relief and brought just sorrow and blues. The last lively creature that stormed into her life so strangely and unexpectedly turned to reveal some new characteristics in Miss Ives's personality that she wasn't aware about. Vanessa understood what mother's love for her child meant. Now she saw her own mother in another light. Not like a woman who cheated on her husband or who wore the trousers in their family but like a mother who loved her own daughter so ardently that she was with her all the time, no matter what, no matter how much Vanessa hurt her, no matter how shameful her behavior was. Her mother tried everything she thought might help Vanessa. She just didn't have any clue what damage it caused her. She wanted to help for her child to be the happiest one.

Miss Ives caught herself on the thought that she wanted the same for Miss Welch that strange little girl who was like a fresh breeze in her life. Vanessa wanted to help and the sudden flee of the child broke her heart. Weeks went one after another and the woman had to face the reality she would never find the girl at least she would never see her alive. With this thought Miss Ives took off the crocheted bracelet made by Florence and put it on the chest of drawers as she did every time she wanted to have a bath. She went to the bathroom and when she returned back the bracelet was gone. The woman searched for it everywhere because maybe a gust of wind from the open window could brush it away from its place but she couldn't find it anywhere. After checking all doors and windows Vanessa found the back door open. Someone burgled into the house while she was in the bathroom and stole it. She checked once again if anything else was stolen. Everything was at the place except the most cherished piece – the bracelet.

In the middle of the night somebody knocked on the door of Dr. Steward's apartment. The old woman didn't want to stand up from her comfortable warm bed but the knocking was too persistent to ignore. Unwillingly she left her cosy nest and went to the door.

" _Miss Ives?! I don't accept any guest this late at night especially patients!"_ She said but Vanessa didn't wait for the invitation to come. She just sneaked in the moment Dr. Steward opened the door. _"So, what can I do for you?"_

According to Vanessa's uneasy state the old woman thought that something important could have happened as her patient wrapped both arms around her slim form and nearly ran into the room as if seeking for the protection.

" _Someone…. Someone was in my house…"_ Miss Ives spoke briskly in short phrases. It seemed that the words stuck down her throat and she couldn't articulate them.

" _Would you like some water?"_ asked the old woman trying to calm Vanessa down.

" _They… they stole… they stole her… bracelet… It's gone!"_ Tears streamed down the young woman's face. She was out of breath as the sob was choking her.

" _What bracelet?"_ Dr. Steward made Miss Ives sit in the arm-chair and gave her a glass of water.

" _The bracelet Florence made for me. It's gone!"_ She repeated for Dr. Steward to understand.

" _Are you sure you didn't put it somewhere and you just don't remember?"_

" _I took it off only when I went to have a bath! Besides, the back door was open. Someone was in the house!"_

" _Was anything else gone?"_ Doctor supposed.

" _No, money, jewelry everything is where it should be. Nothing disappeared except the bracelet!"_

" _Why didn't you call the police?"_ asked Dr. Steward trying to reason Vanessa.

" _And tell them what? That somebody stole a crocheted bracelet?"_ Vanessa said desperately.

" _I think tomorrow you have to look everywhere for it thoroughly. Right now drink this and I'll make you the bed in the guest room. I have a long day tomorrow and you have to make some friends who could protect you. I'm not much of a fighter."_ The woman smirked giving Miss Ives some pills for sleeping.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	19. Chapter 19

**The Darkest Soul of Light**

 **Part 19**

" _Master, here is the bracelet."_ One of the thralls cringed before Dr. Sweet.

" _Did it scare her?"_ asked Dracula taking a small sack with the bracelet. He opened it and shook the bracelet out. It fell to his feet. Instead of lifting it up Dr. Sweet stroke a match and set the crocheting on fire.

" _I think so. Miss Ives left the house immediately when she didn't find the jewelry. She's scared to death, master."_ The thrall admitted.

" _Where did she go?"_

" _To Dr. Steward."_

" _That old witch still has power but soon Vanessa will be mine and the whole world will go into darkness. What about the girl?"_ Dr. Sweet looked at the dying fire at his feet.

" _She disappeared. We've searched London up and down, every street, every corner, every house. Miss Welch either isn't in London or maybe she's long gone, Master,"_ said a pale man from the crowd.

Weeks passed. Miss Ives relationship with Dr. Sweet flourished and became even more profound after the last piece that connected the woman to the girl was gone, just as he predicted. That night when she came to the museum was the apocalypse. Now her body was his and soon Dracula would conquer her immortal soul which he didn't even need.

Vanessa calmed down. Together with Catriona Hartdegen she finally found out who was Dracula. The one who was beside her, the one she has already had an intimate encounter, the one she thought would be her husband. When she came to him that evening with the intention to kill him was the turning point of all her miserable suffering. Her whole life was a mess beginning from the first sin she committed and ending with loss of her friends, loss of her dignity. Miss Ives was crashed like a bug. Dr. Sweet's venomous words got deeper into her heart. They touched her inner feelings. She looked at herself standing aside. Vanessa saw herself from the side, as if it was a strange woman lowering the gun, letting the man embrace her not her pure self. Miss Ives was exhausted of this fight, always struggling with demons inside her, always making herself what other people needed her to be. The woman gave up feeling freedom of being what she was from the beginning – the mother of evil.

Seizures came as a revelation. Florence was working hard doing the laundry with other unfortunate girls when she collapsed on the floor watching the man sucking blood from Miss Ives's neck. It was the longest and the most violent attack. The girl bit her tongue to blood. Her limbs crooked and bended in inhuman angles. She would have suffocated if not for Ann, the girl with down-syndrome who sat on the floor and held Florence's head while the body was uncontrollable. If she has hold her too tight, Ann would have broken Florence's neck but everything ended well except for the tongue. It swelled up and Miss Welch couldn't properly speak, eat or drink for a week or two. During this period strange things began to happen in the monastery. One of the sisters became mad. She set the classrooms on fire. But God protected the girls who were at the lesson. They ran away while their superior died in the fire together with the best student of her class. Something strange happened with the air. Day after day it was harder and harder to breathe. Girls started coughing, then getting sick. Some of them vomited blood and died after nine days of pain and suffering. A doctor came but couldn't do anything with the disease. The same symptoms had people in the village nearby. The fog and mist didn't go anywhere. Nuns took care of the sick ones forgot about those who were still healthy. That's how Florence got away.

Sir Malcolm, Ethan Chandler and Kaetenay came to save Vanessa too late. Miss Ives didn't feel anything. She existed in this foul world for one reason to exist, to make her master satisfied, to make dark creatures emerge and control the cursed Earth that God gave to those rotten human beings who didn't give a damn about virtues. Who sent everything to hell because of their pride, envy, greed, lust, sloth, gluttony and wrath. If this was her destiny to become the mother of evil, then she fulfilled it with glory but did it bring peace to her tortured soul?

While Miss Ives's friends were fighting their last battle with Dracula's thralls, a small girl in a poor brown dress and dark grey coat was walking in the mist along the red lanterns down the London's street. Legions of Dracula's army stared at her but nobody touched. Miss Welch was quite aware that touching her would be lethal for them. It caused her pain too but it wasn't as unbearable as the tortures they faced after the touch of her soft skin. The child didn't feel well, her pale cheeks revealed salty streams. She was hungry and thirsty, though, Florence knew exactly where she should be. Two long weeks full of hardships and loss opened her true self. Something she neglected now was her fate. Every night one and the same dream haunted her beautiful curly head, the dream about the woman she liked so much being tortured by the devil himself. Miss Welch predicted the end and went to it with some kind of unhealthy determination. This had to be the only purpose for her to tread down the flowers in this cursed world. Florence didn't know exactly how she could save the woman but at least the girl wasn't afraid of death anymore. It was better to die than to see all these people suffering and dying in sorrow.

Nobody stopped her when Florence went through the slaughter house. The thralls were so afraid of her that they ran away and got out of her way still attacking Miss Ives's friends. Neither Sir Malcolm, Kaetaney, Catriona or Dr. Steward saw the girl. They were killing the thralls and didn't notice a small child going straight to the room where Mr. Chandler has already disappeared. Miss Welch was walking as in a dream that haunted her since she left the monastery. Vanessa was at a gunpoint and Ethan was ready to pull the trigger. Suddenly a blood curdling scream filled the room. Its echo made all the human creatures to squeeze their eyes shut tightly because it resounded throughout the building and pounded in their heads for a while.

" _No! Get away from her, you puppy of God!"_ screamed the child. This shriek came unexpected even for the girl as she was so tired, hungry and flat-out that this cry was a manifestation of everything which was left in her fragile body.

Mr. Chandler turned around to look at Florence who strode towards Vanessa not paying attention to the tall man.

" _Florence, I'm so glad to see you but you have to go,"_ tears ran down Miss Ives's cheek. The people she loved came to save her, it was too late though.

The child didn't hesitate she approached the woman and hugged her breathing in her smell, hearing her heart beating. The woman put her hand on girl's head and jerked it away. Evil spirits couldn't touch pure souls. She looked at her hand that was covered in burning blisters then back at Florence. Through the fabric of her dress Vanessa felt the heat that came from the girl.

" _Miss Ives, will you pray with me, please, one last time pray with me,"_ She looked in Vanessa's eyes with those velvet brown ones that were full with tears. Miss Welch saw the ugliness of the woman like she saw it in Miss Frankenstein or Mr. Gray. For a moment Miss Ives appeared before the girl in a glory of a lost spirit who bargained soul and flesh to two demons – one Dracula and another Satan.

" _You too,"_ Florence turned to the astonished man who was staring blankly at Vanessa and the girl. _"Pray with us."_

Miss Welch stood aside from Vanessa, put her hands together and started the prayer which Vanessa and Ethan caught up. In the middle of the prayer Florence's feet got off the floor and she lifted up mounting above Miss Ives who didn't stop praying. In an instant stigmas appeared on the both of girl's hands and she started bleeding. Florence was lifted in the air so that the blood dripped on Vanessa's face. The woman wanted to avoid it, to run away from the girl but it was totally impossible as she couldn't move from the place she was standing at. The blood poured down like rain making the woman suffocate under it. Vanessa was shaking and screaming uncontrollably like the wounded animal while Mr. Chandler and the girl was chanting the prayer.

A crowd of thralls together with Dracula stormed into the room. Florence was lying on the floor having epileptic seizures. Vanessa was lying beside her in a blood soaked dress. Ethan turned to face the demon. Thralls attacked the man while their master kneeled down beside his bride. Dr. Sweet was sure Vanessa was lying dead on the floor together with the girl who also wasn't moving anymore.

Sir Malcolm came at the end of the fight just to watch Ethan running out of the room where he found the bodies of his precious daughter and the girl, whom he didn't know but could guess from all the letters he had received from Vanessa. Dr. Sweet's throat was torn and the Adam's apple was on the floor. All the thralls were dead as well as Kaetaney – an old werewolf, who fell in the battle fighting back-to-back with Sir Malcolm.

Dr. Frankenstein attested death of the child as there was no pulse, breathing or any least appearance of life in her body. Florence laid on the floor and blood still dropped from stigmas on her hands. Her simple brown dress was also soaked in blood because another bigger wound was in the side of her chest the same as the deep marks on Christ's body. Victor was definitely sure that if he took off girl's shoes, he would see two more bleeding holes on her feet. The girl was crucified without a cross. Now the man was aware of one thing that has been torturing him since Lily's death, the child was some kind of a holy spirit. She touched his immortal creature that couldn't exist in this world and Lily disappeared without a trace. If Miss Ives held a demon in her, then this little girl also had something beyond this world but not evil. That's how Lily died. Dr. Frankenstein looked at the girl and wanted for her to still be alive. She was the chance for him to get rid of the first monster he created, but she was on the floor silent and motionless.

He kneeled beside Miss Ives and squeezed her wrist to listen to the pulse. To his surprise her heart was beating not usual for ordinary people but at least she didn't die.

Sir Malcolm buried Miss Welch at a cemetery. It was a very short ceremony with only him, Dr. Frankenstein and Dr. Steward present at the cemetery. They placed a bunch of white lilies on the top of the grave and went back to their shelters. Sir Malcolm to his huge house which looked empty except for Vanessa, who was in her bed in that lethargic state that didn't change a bit in these three days. Nobody knew what happened to Mr. Chandler as nobody has seen him since the day they defeated Dracula. Miss Hartdegen came once in these three days to ask about Miss Ives's state but more to see Dr. Frankenstein who was taking care of the mysterious woman who caused everyone a lot of trouble but they were still thankful to see her in the world of living.

The fog disappeared together with all demonic followers of count Dracula. Still evil remained on Earth together with the unconscious woman.

 **The end**


End file.
